Emergent infrahepatic vena cava stenting for life-threatening perforation.

Abstract

During a lumbar vertebral fusion, a box cage perforated the inferior vena cava wall and migrated toward the right atrium. This case report describes the use of a Talent endoluminal stent-graft to control the subsequent life-threatening bleeding and to prevent further migration of the box cage into the right atrium, with the risk of pulmonary embolization. It shows that the use of minimal invasive endovascular stent-grafts to control for massive vena cava bleeding might be a less invasive procedure and, in similar cases, could be a life-saving alternative to open surgery.