Indwelling central venous catheters have been reported to increase the risk of superior venous cava (SVC) syndrome. This case report describes the development of acute SVC syndrome in a 28-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease implanted with a left-side hemodialysis reliable outflow graft and a right-side double lumen hemodialysis catheter via internal jugular veins. Her symptoms were not alleviated after catheter removal and systemic anticoagulation therapy. She was eventually treated with catheter-directed thrombolysis and a predischarge computer tomographic venogram on postthrombolytic procedure day 7 showed patent central veins and patient remained asymptomatic. This case demonstrates that catheter-directed thrombolysis can be safely employed to treat refractory catheter-induced acute SVC syndrome in end-stage renal disease patients.
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.