Horner's syndrome as a complication in thoracic surgical practice

To determine the incidence, reasons and prognosis about Horner's syndrome in thoracic surgical patients.

In this prospective clinical study, 933 adult patients were assessed between the years of 1998 and 2002. All patients who underwent chest tube insertion (n: 662 patients) or thoracotomy (n: 342 patients), or who had thoracic trauma (n: 268 patients) were routinely examined to detect of Horner's syndrome. The patients with Horner's syndrome due to the invasion of malignant tumour to sympathetic chain were not included in the study.

Horner's syndrome was detected in twelve patients from these 933 patients (1.3%). The considered etiologic factors were chest tube pressure in five patients, operative complication in two patients and trauma in five patients. In patients with chest tube pressure were fully recovered from Horner's syndrome but the remaining did not.

Malposition of the chest tube is an important aetiological factor of Horner's syndrome, and it is reversible if the tube position is corrected urgently.