Emergency Medicine: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome as the Preliminary Manifestation of Hodgkin's Lymphoma in A 31 Year Old Female Patient: A Case Report

Davis Kibirige

Superior vena cava syndrome is a medical emergency frequently associated with malignancy especially lung cancer and non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It is a constellation of signs and symptoms resulting from intrinsic or extrinsic obstruction of the superior vena cava. I present a case of a 31 year old female patient who presented with classical features of superior vena cava syndrome secondary to histopathologically confirmed Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She significantly improved following therapy with oxygen, intra venous steroids and chemotherapy (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine). This case report highlights one of the atypical presentations of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Clinicians in emergency care units should have a high index of suspicion of superior vena cava syndrome so that timely treatment is instituted promptly.