Open surgical treatment of superior vena cava syndrome due to invasive thymoma

Taiki Kawaida; Hiroaki Tanabe; Mitsuhisa Kotani; Yuji Kato; Masaaki Toyama; Hiroaki Nomori

doi:10.1177/2050313X221138652

Open surgical treatment of superior vena cava syndrome due to invasive thymoma

SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2022 Nov 28:10:2050313X221138652. doi: 10.1177/2050313X221138652. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Taiki Kawaida¹, Hiroaki Tanabe¹, Mitsuhisa Kotani², Yuji Kato¹, Masaaki Toyama¹, Hiroaki Nomori³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa, Japan.
² Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kashima Heart Clinic, Ibaraki, Japan.
³ Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kashiwa Kousei General Hospital, Kashiwa, Japan.

Abstract

Here we describe a case of open surgery for superior vena cava syndrome due to invasive thymoma. An 85-year-old woman presented with facial swelling and exertional dyspnea. Computed axial tomography revealed a thymoma in the mediastinum, extending to the superior vena cava, right atrium, and bilateral brachiocephalic veins. Endovascular therapy did not seem feasible because superior vena cava appeared totally occluded, and stenting could cause tumor embolism to the pulmonary arteries. Open surgery facilitated macroscopically complete and successful tumor resection. If long-term survival seems possible, open surgery could be a viable treatment option for superior vena cava syndrome that is ineligible for endovascular therapy.

Keywords: Superior vena cava syndrome; cardiac tumor; mediastinal neoplasm; thymoma.

Publication types

Case Reports