The Paget-Schroetter syndrome

Primary axillo-subclavian venous thrombosis is pathology of the young working man. It affects above all the main upper limb and arises during a physical activity of the shoulder. Its aetiology is complex and multifactorial. It is most often the consequence of a chronic compression of the subclavian vein at the level of the thoracic outlet. Clinical presentation can be confirmed with a duplex scan investigation.Early diagnosis offers the opportunity for rapid venous recanalisation with an anticoagulation treatment. A fibrinolytic therapy can be started in the same session of the phlebography. In case of success, a dynamic phlebography is performed to confirm the existence of a venous thoracic outlet syndrome. Even if indications for surgical management of primary subclavian vein thrombosis are still controversial, it is actually clear that this multidisciplinary management of these patients has to be as early as possible. Decompression of the thoracic outlet can be performed secondarily using various techniques including first-rib resection. Should this approach fail to re-establish patency, leaving some residual disabling of the arm, axillo-subclavian vein revascularization can provide good mid-term results.