In a randomised prospective trial of chemotherapy with and without radiotherapy in small-cell carcinoma of the bronchus, 37 of 366 patients presented with obstruction of the superior vena cava at the time of diagnosis. In the study all patients received four cycles of combination chemotherapy over a period of 12 weeks and, provided there was not progressive disease, then received either radioth...

A patient with Behçet's disease developed the rare complications of pericarditis and, two months later, superior vena caval obstruction. The latter complication was investigated by angiography to exclude other causes. As a result of this investigation the caval obstruction was managed conservatively, the symptoms and signs improving spontaneously.

BACKGROUND Dehydration is a frequent clinical problem. No single laboratory value has been found to be accurate; however, the BUN/Creatinine Ratio appears the most sensitive parameter. The respiratory variation (Caval Index, CIn) in the diameter of the inferior vena cava has been investigated as a non-invasive marker for the intravascular volume status. AIM The present study is performed with...

It is well established that dogs with chronic partial constriction of the thoracic inferior vena cava develop sodium retention, ascites, and respond poorly to acute saline loading. A group of such chronic caval dogs, and a group of normal controls were studied during hydropenia, and again after acute saline loading by clearance and recollection micropuncture techniques. After volume expansion, ...

Background Hyponatraemia is the most common electrolyte disorder in clinical practice, affecting 4% of patients presenting to the Emergency Department and up to 30% of patients in general medicine wards. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, therefore requiring prompt management. Current approach in defining aetiology of hypotonic hyponatraemia is based on extracellular fluid...

Six adults with inferior vena caval obstruction are presented. Three were the results of surgical intervention, two were secondary to large thrombi, and one was due to pressure from a large renal-cell carcinoma and adjacent nodes. All underwent a modified approach of radionuclide venography, using a moderately large volume of sodium pertechnetate. Features characteristic of inferior vena caval ...