Florida children in grades six through eight are required under current law to take one semester of physical education every year, but the state is now considering a bill to eliminate the requirement for that class.
Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is obstruction of blood flow through the superior vena cava (SVC). It is a medical emergency and most often manifests in patients with a malignant disease process within the thorax. A patient with SVCS requires immediate diagnostic evaluation and therapy.
The superior vena cava returns blood from the upper body to the heart, and the inferior vena cava returns the blood from the lower part of the body. The superior vena cava is thin-walled, and the blood is under low pressure. It lies near lymph nodes in the chest. Therefore, when the lymph nodes or the aorta of the heart get bigger, the superior vena cava is squeezed, blood flow slows, and complete blockage may occur.