Acute superior vena cava obstruction causing total airway obstruction in the anaesthetic recovery room

Abstract

Acute superior vena cava obstruction is commonly benign and often due to thrombosis following central venous catheterization or placement of pace maker wires. Acute obstruction due to malignancy is rare. We report a young patient known to have a malignant anterior mediastinal tumor developing acute SVC obstruction causing total airway obstruction in the anaesthetic recovery room following surgery unrelated to the mediastinum.