SVC obstruction

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Heart, section through the middle

SVC obstruction is a narrowing or blockage of the superior vena cava -- the second largest vein in the human body. The superior vena cava moves blood from the upper half of the body to the heart.

Superior vena cava obstruction; Superior vena cava syndrome

Superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction is a relatively rare condition.

Most often it is caused by cancer in the mediastinum (the area of the chest under the breastbone and between the lungs). The types of cancer that can lead to this condition include lymphoma, cancer of the lung that spreads, breast cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, and thymic tumors.

Superior vena cava obstruction can also be caused by noncancerous conditions that cause chronic fibrosis (scarring). These conditions include lung infections (such as tuberculosis), histoplasmosis infection, and thrombophlebitis.

Other causes of superior vena cava obstruction include aortic aneurysm, constrictive pericarditis, and goiter.

Review Date: 05/03/2006
Reviewed By: William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.