Abstract
Reconstruction of the superior vena cava was performe on eight cases, including 5 of primary lung cancer, each one of metastatic mediastinal lymphnodes from uterus cancer and breast cancer, and one of invasive thymoma. Five cases showed the superior vena cava syndrome preoperatively and 3 revealed invasion to the superior vena cava at operation. In two cases of primary lung cancer and each one of lymphnode metastasis from breast cancer and invaive thymoma, reconstruction of the superior vena cava and resection of the main lesion were performed. The other 4 cases were underwent only bypass operation as a palliative procedure for the superior vena cava syndrome. Four of 5 cases with superior vena cava syndrome showed improvement in the symptome while the remaining died of thrombosis. The longest prognosis was 2 years and 9 months for the case in which the main was resected.
Palliative operation can not promise a good prognosis but offer symptomatic remission of the supperior vena cava syndrome. Even in a patient undergone reconstruction of the superior vena cava due to a malignant disease, should the main lesion be resected where the patient can have a favorable prognosis.
