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BACKGROUND--Palliative treatments for obstruction of the superior vena cava all have disadvantages. The use of a fine braided wire self expanding stent (Wallstent, Schneider (Europe) AG) in patients with malignant and benign causes of superior vena cava obstruction is reported. METHODS--Five patients with obstruction of the superior vena cava were treated with balloon angioplasty of the stricture and the percutaneous insertion of an expandable Wallstent endoprosthesis across the site of the stricture. Four patients had advanced mediastinal malignancy previously treated by radiotherapy and one patient had fibrosing mediastinitis. RESULTS--All patients experienced rapid symptomatic relief and, in three cases, complete palliation was achieved during survival times of seven weeks, nine weeks, and 24 weeks, respectively. Two surviving patients (with a recurrent thymoma and fibrosing mediastinitis) were free of symptoms when followed up at eight and nine months respectively. CONCLUSIONS--Initial experience with the Wallstent endoprosthesis suggests that it is a valuable treatment alternative once conventional therapy has failed and gives rapid relief of symptoms to patients with obstruction of the superior vena cava.