Reconstruction of superior vena cava in invasive thymoma.

Aggressive en-bloc resection of the superior vena cava was performed in a 50-year-old man who had superior vena caval syndrome caused by invasive thymoma. After the superior vena cava was resected, a Gore-Tex vascular graft was used to reconstruct the lower end of the right innominate vein and lower end of the superior vena cava. The patient was treated with postoperative radiotherapy to the mediastinum and has been asymptomatic for 14 months following surgery.