Superior vena cava syndrome

As an upper caval (OES ) is called in medicine a symptom in which the venous return to the heart from the upper extremities and the head is obstructed. It manifests itself in the form of jammed swollen neck veins and arm veins.

Clinic

OES is diagnosed at 45 ° Waist - high patient supported. Here, the external jugular vein cross two fingers can be seen above the collarbone ( positive).

The upper caval itself usually makes no complaints. Accompanying can head pressure, a feeling of fullness in the head and blood headache. Very frequently there is shortness of breath or a deterioration of the general condition as an expression of the underlying disease. The symptoms are reinforced while lying down, because here no longer supports the gravity venous blood return to the heart.

It consists, depending on the cause, the risk of the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis.

Causes

An upper cava is usually a sign of a performance weakness of the right heart. Possible causes are:

• Valvular leak with the flap
• Left heart failure
• Pericardial tamponade
• Tension pneumothorax
• Bronchial asthma
• Pulmonary embolism

Less common are tumors of the mediastinum, which press on the large superior vena cava. This leads to the accumulation of blood in the afferent veins of the head and upper extremities. There may be prolonged existence of the upper caval venous collateral circulation form ( vena cava superior syndrome). Pegged tumors can be: lung cancer, malignant lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T -ALL ), thyroid carcinoma, teratoma, lymph node metastasis of a tumor in the mediastinum, very rare benign processes, such as the presence of goiter ( goiter )

• Symptom of disease in cardiology
• Disease in hematology and oncology