About this episode
Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is caused by physical compression of the SVC and can present with facial swelling, upper extremity swelling, flushing, and parasthesias Common causes of SVC syndrome include lung cancer, lymphoma, and thymoma Keep SVC syndrome on the differential for all patients with facial or upper extremity swelling References The superior vena cava syndrome: clinical characteristics and evolving etiology. Rice TW, Rodriguez RM, Light RW. Medicine (Baltimore). 2006;85(1):37. Diagnosis and management of superior vena cava syndrome. Markman M. Cleve Clin J Med. 1999;66(1):59. Summarized by Will Dewispelaere, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD