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Updated: Oct 9, 2025

Transaxillary First Rib Resection for Treatment of the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Published on: September 13, 2020
Unilateral thoracic outlet syndrome in a case with bilateral cervical ribs, does it always produce compression?
Juan M Alemán-Iñiguez1, Hernán Hermida-Córdova2
1Departamento de Neurocirugía, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito. Ecuador.
Background:
The cervical rib can be a rare finding in asymptomatic subjects. When it produces compression, it affects variably the vasculo-nervous structures of the brachial plexus; the clinical history is progressive. The imaging studies indicate the site of osteo-neuro-vascular conflict and electrophysiological studies indicate the degree of neural involvement.
Case Report:
We present a patient with an eight-month history of paresis and right dysesthesias, with an image of bilateral cervical ribs with different anatomical characteristics. This case discusses how a variant of the anatomy produces pathology and when it is not related to compression.
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