PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Maggiano, H.J.
AU  - Higgins, Thomas L.
AU  - Lobo, W.
AU  - Makos, G.
AU  - Golding, Leonard A. R.
TI  - Superior vena cava syndrome after open heart surgery
DP  - 1992 Jan 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 93--95
VI  - 59
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/59/1/93.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/59/1/93.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med1992 Jan 01; 59
AB  - Superior vena cava syndrome is an uncommon complication of open heart surgery. While both cardiac tamponade and superior vena cava syndrome may present as elevated central venous pressure accompanied by decreased mean arterial pressure and cardiac output, the presence of upper body cyanosis is unusual with tamponade. We report the diagnosis and successful emergency treatment of a patient with acute superior vena cava syndrome and dyspnea apparently caused by a pericardial hematoma developing after aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting.