Superior vena cava syndrome related to indwelling intravenous catheters in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) often need long-term implanted vascular-access devices for intravenous antibiotics for chronic lower respiratory tract infections. These devices are not without complications, including infection, occlusion, and vascular thrombosis. Such thrombosis can result in superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome due to the position of the catheter proximal to the right atrium. SVC syndrome in CF patients, however, is rarely reported in the literature, suggesting that its incidence is uncommon. We describe three patients with SVC syndrome as a consequence of implanted vascular-access devices.