Successful Treatment by Percutaneous Balloon Angioplasty of Budd-Chiari Syndrome Caused by Membranous Obstruction of Inferior Vena Cava: 8-Year Follow-Up Study

ObjectivesThis study sought to report the long-term result (up to 8 years) of percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTBA) for Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) caused by membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava (MOVC).BackgroundWe previously reported on this nonoperative form of therapy in a smaller series of patients and found the short-term results to be excellent.MethodsWe studied the long-term results of PTBA in the treatment of BCS caused by MOVC in 42 patients who underwent PTBA with the Inoue balloon catheter between June 1988 and February 1996. There were 28 men and 14 women with a mean age of 35.6 years (range 16 to 56). MOVC was incomplete in 27 patients and complete in 15. PTBA was successful in 38 patients (91%). The longest follow-up period was 8 years.ResultsAll 38 patients who successfully underwent PTBA showed marked symptomatic improvement. Immediately after PTBA, the diameter of the inferior vena cava at the MOVC increased from 1.7±2 to 19.9±3.5 mm (p