From an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome

Introduction/Objective: Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is a collection of clinical signs and symptoms resulting from partial or complete obstruction of blood flow through the SVC. The venous obstruction may be due to compression, invasion, thrombosis, or fibrosis of the SVC. SVCS can be the init...

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Main Authors: Milutinović Vojislava, Milutinović Vladimir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: City Medical emergency department, Belgrade 2024-01-01
Series:Halo 194
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-6477/2024/2334-64772401026M.pdf
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author Milutinović Vojislava
Milutinović Vladimir
author_facet Milutinović Vojislava
Milutinović Vladimir
author_sort Milutinović Vojislava
collection DOAJ
description Introduction/Objective: Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is a collection of clinical signs and symptoms resulting from partial or complete obstruction of blood flow through the SVC. The venous obstruction may be due to compression, invasion, thrombosis, or fibrosis of the SVC. SVCS can be the initial presentation of a previously undiagnosed tumor in up to 60% of cases. We are presenting the case of a patient with SVC syndrome who was initially diagnosed with an allergic reaction. Case report: An eighty-year-old patient with an allergy diagnosis was referred from the Community Health Centre to the Internal Medicine Clinic. The patient had previously been treated with antihistamines for days due to swelling and facial redness, which showed no signs of improvement. During the chest x-ray, a widened shadow of the upper side of the mediastinum on the right side was noticed. Along with the clinical appearance of the patient, this raised doubts of the superior vena cava syndrome. Hence, the patient was hospitalised to the Department of Pulmonology. A CT chest scan showed an infiltrative change and a significantly compressed upper vena cava due to the mediastinal adenopathy. Urgent radiotherapy was prescribed to the patient. Conclusion: If primarily manifested by skin symptoms, the diagnosis of superior vena cava syndrome can be easily overlooked. It is often that the clinical picture is initially interpreted as an allergic reaction, asthma or airway obstruction. In the presented case, this rare syndrome was the first symptom of intrathoracic malignancy.
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spelling doaj-art-7b1fa975c5714bbb91420ec0d295af082025-02-05T13:08:09ZengCity Medical emergency department, BelgradeHalo 1942334-64772024-01-01301263010.5937/halo2401026M2334-64772401026MFrom an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndromeMilutinović Vojislava0Milutinović Vladimir1KBC Bežanijska kosa, Beograd, SerbiaEuromedik, Beograd, SerbiaIntroduction/Objective: Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is a collection of clinical signs and symptoms resulting from partial or complete obstruction of blood flow through the SVC. The venous obstruction may be due to compression, invasion, thrombosis, or fibrosis of the SVC. SVCS can be the initial presentation of a previously undiagnosed tumor in up to 60% of cases. We are presenting the case of a patient with SVC syndrome who was initially diagnosed with an allergic reaction. Case report: An eighty-year-old patient with an allergy diagnosis was referred from the Community Health Centre to the Internal Medicine Clinic. The patient had previously been treated with antihistamines for days due to swelling and facial redness, which showed no signs of improvement. During the chest x-ray, a widened shadow of the upper side of the mediastinum on the right side was noticed. Along with the clinical appearance of the patient, this raised doubts of the superior vena cava syndrome. Hence, the patient was hospitalised to the Department of Pulmonology. A CT chest scan showed an infiltrative change and a significantly compressed upper vena cava due to the mediastinal adenopathy. Urgent radiotherapy was prescribed to the patient. Conclusion: If primarily manifested by skin symptoms, the diagnosis of superior vena cava syndrome can be easily overlooked. It is often that the clinical picture is initially interpreted as an allergic reaction, asthma or airway obstruction. In the presented case, this rare syndrome was the first symptom of intrathoracic malignancy.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-6477/2024/2334-64772401026M.pdfsuperior vena cava syndromeallergyurgent radiotherapy
spellingShingle Milutinović Vojislava
Milutinović Vladimir
From an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome
Halo 194
superior vena cava syndrome
allergy
urgent radiotherapy
title From an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome
title_full From an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome
title_fullStr From an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome
title_full_unstemmed From an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome
title_short From an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome
title_sort from an allergic reaction to a superior vena cava syndrome
topic superior vena cava syndrome
allergy
urgent radiotherapy
url https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-6477/2024/2334-64772401026M.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT milutinovicvojislava fromanallergicreactiontoasuperiorvenacavasyndrome
AT milutinovicvladimir fromanallergicreactiontoasuperiorvenacavasyndrome