A Synthetic CardioCel Tube for Minimally Invasive Superior Vena Cava Bypass

Abstract

Superior vena cava occlusion is a condition in which the venous flow of blood to the right atrium is obstructed, requiring a recanalization or bypass procedure. These procedures are traditionally performed by endovascular repair surgery or a sternotomy, typically with a covered stent or spiral vein graft. However, these conduits have several limitations. This case report describes a minimally invasive right thoracotomy approach with the use of a synthetic tube to bypass an occluded superior vena cava in a 52-year-old woman.