[Balloon dilatation and stent implantation in malignant and benign stenoses of the central venous system].

Compared with the excellent good results on the arterial side, venous angioplasty combined with stent-application was described relatively late in the literature, dealing in the majority of cases with palliative tumour stenoses of the superior and inferior vena cava. Recanalization of benign stenoses, especially of the pelvic venous spur (May/Thurner; syn. Pelvic compression syndrome, Cockett) was realized so far only in a limited number of cases. We have performed this interventional therapy since 1991 in 21 patients (female: 16, male: 5), with good long-term results in 18 cases. According to the special patho-anatomy of the "spur", developing intimal proliferation and progressive stenosis at the left-sided ilio-caval junction in about 20% of the average adult population, a restrictive indication is, however, mandatory. According to strong clinical symptoms (severe varicosis and leg oedema at the left-sided lower extremity), phlebographic and functional parameters (won by central venous blood pressure measurements) are indicating selected cases for this curative treatment.