Saccular Superior Vena Cava Aneurysm: Case Report and Comprehensive Review

Saccular superior vena cava aneurysms (SVCAs) are one of the rarest causes of mediastinal masses. Seventy years after the first published case report, to the best of our knowledge, fewer than 30 cases have been described in the literature. This article provides an overview of the peculiarities regarding diagnosis and treatment performed in these cases and addresses the protocol adopted in our case report. We present a saccular aneurysm resected through median sternotomy, under cardiopulmonary bypass and superior vena cava reconstruction using a bovine pericardial patch.

Automated summary

Saccular superior vena cava aneurysms are a rare cause of mediastinal masses, with fewer than 30 cases described in the literature to date. Diagnosis and treatment of these cases are unique, with surgical resection typically performed through median sternotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass.