Combined surgical treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome: transaxillary first rib resection and transcervical scalenectomy

Many different procedures have been developed to treat thoracic outlet compression syndrome (TOCS), a condition in which neurovascular structures in the thoracic outlet region are compressed. Currently, transaxillary first rib resection and transcervical anterior and middle scalenectomy are the most popular and standard procedures. In the early 1980s, some surgeons started to perform both procedures, starting with the scalenectomy and following with a transaxillary first rib resection. We have found that performing these procedures in the reverse order, starting with the first rib resection and following immediately with a transcervical anterior and middle scalenectomy accomplishes total decompression of the thoracic outlet area with much better improvement of symptoms and much lower recurrence rate.