Occlusion of subclavian-innominate veins: the increasing problem of receiving improper care.

Acute upper vein obstruction necessitates emergency treatment and always requires surgery. However, it is not treated appropriately most of the time. Leaving this condition untreated, or treating it incorrectly, can result in permanent disability of the patient, as well as malpractice and negligence lawsuits against the treating physicians. Thus, all physicians must be familiar with the proper care of acute upper vein obstruction. We provide in this article an easy-to-follow algorithm and an outline of steps for successful treatment. We also discuss two situations that should not be confused: 1) the acute event involving the axillary-subclavian-innominate vein, which is called effort thrombosis or Paget-Schroetter syndrome, and 2) the chronic, more extensive obstruction caused by the intravenous placement of intraluminal devices.