Superior Vena Caval Thrombosis in a 7-Year-Old Child

Abstract

THE clinical manifestations of superior vena caval syndrome were first described by William Hunter in 1747. Superior vena caval obstruction occurs frequently in adults and the most common causes in these cases are bronchogenic tumors, anterior mediastinal tumors, and lymphomas. On the other hand, the syndrome of superior vena caval obstruction is relatively rare in children. Several cases in childhood have been reported however,¹the most common causes being tumors arising from the sympathetic nervous system, lymphomas, and mediastinitis and pericarditis. Thrombosis of the superior vena cava in childhood is the rarest cause of this syndrome. One previous case has been reported in the French literature by de Muralt and Menano, as cited by Valeton,²in a 5-year-old child with associated nephrosis. The diagnosis in this case was made clinically and confirmed postmortem. This case is presented as another, but rare cause of the superior vena caval syndrome.