Venous stents

Summary

Metallic stents have been used for many different indications in veins. Their use is most important in benign stenoses and occlusions of central and peripheral veins of patients with dialysis access problems. Other benign lesions that may be treated by stent insertion include venous spurs, post-thrombotic venous obstruction and Budd-Chiari syndrome. Rapid relief from lower or upper vena cava syndrome may be achieved by inserting large diameter stents into the central veins in addition to or instead of radiotherapy.

Key Words:

• stents
• metallic endoprosthesis
• dialysis fistulae and shunts
• central veins
• venous spurs
• vena cava syndrome