Expandable Metallic Stents in Management of Large Vein Obstructions

The authors summarize their 26-year experience using expandable metallic stents for the management of large vein obstructions. After a short historic note and explanation of the etiologies of large vein obstructions, they describe various expandable stents and the results in using them for obstructions in large veins. For venous obstruction from malignant disease, stent placement was an excellent palliative treatment and provided relief in the majority of patients. In benign lesions, stent placement was a definitive long-term treatment for the patients’ congestive symptoms. In venous obstructions related to arteriovenous dialysis shunts, stent deployment prolonged the life of the shunt.