Venous Thrombosis as a Cause of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome

• Venous thrombosis, resulting in superior vena cava syndrome, developed in a patient with two permanent transvenous pacemaker wires. Therapy with streptokinase resulted in prompt relief of the obstruction, with no complications. In properly selected patients, streptokinase may be the treatment of choice for this potentially life-threatening problem. ( Arch Intern Med 1983;143:1050-1052)