SUPERIOR VENA-CAVA STENTS - DOPPLER US OF THE INTERNAL MAMMARY VEINS TO DETECT COLLATERAL FLOW - PRELIMINARY-OBSERVATIONS

In 12 patients with superior vena cava syndrome secondary to malignant disease, duplex Doppler ultrasound (US) was performed in the internal mammary veins. In all patients, flow was retrograde. After stent plac ement, flow direction was again antegrade on one side (17%) or both si des (83%). During follow-up in the internal mammary veins, blood flow remained unchanged in 10 patients and retrograde flow recurred in two patients at 2 and 5 months, respectively. In these two patients, helic al computed tomography showed stent failure. Successful treatment in o ne patient normalized the direction of flow in the internal mammary ve in. Doppler US in the internal mammary veins allowed accurate evaluati on of function of superior vena cava stents.