Treatment of vena cava obstruction and occlusion
Marzia Lugli, MD Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hesperia Hospital, Modena, Italy ABSTRACT Obstruction of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is a significant contributor to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Patients may present with a wide range of symptoms, from being asymptomatic to suffering from severely debilitating conditions. The causes of IVC obstruction can be congenital, related to malignancies, or nonmalignant. Among these, nonmalignant causes are the most common. The protocol for selecting patients for cava recanalization and stenting must be strict. The clinical basis should guide the procedural approach for inferior cava obstruction. The endovascular technique for addressing proximal deep vein…