Superior Vena Cava Reconstruction in Patients on Hemodialysis

Endovascular therapy with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and, in recent years, with stenting of the SVC, has been performed with increasing frequency. An endovascular approach is the current standard of care to relieve SVC obstruction due to malignancy to obtain prompt relief of the rapidly emerging symptoms and improve quality of life,3 keeping in mind the short life expectancy of these patients. The role of endovascular therapy in SVC syndrome of nonmalignant etiology is undecided because long-term durability of this treatment method remains to be assessed.