Successful palliation of acute superior vena caval obstruction after the Senning operation

Superior vena caval obstruction after an intraatrial baffle procedure can l ead to acute cerebral complications and hence requires immediate management . We present a case of successful palliation of acute superior vena caval o bstruction after a Senning procedure by establishing a venous shunt between the innominate vein and pulmonary artery. This technique resulted in immed iate hemodynamic and functional improvement that subsequently allowed for t he enlargement of the superior vena cava-right atrial junction with a peric ardial patch. (C) 1998 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.