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Updated: Aug 29, 2025

Transaxillary First Rib Resection for Treatment of the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Published on: September 13, 2020
Resection of Posttraumatic Rib Synostoses Resolves Pulmonary Insufficiency: A Case Report
Sophia Mavrommatis1,2, Michael C LaRoque1,2, Peter A Cole1,2,3
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Case:
A 30-year-old woman underwent open reduction and internal fixation for multiple segmental rib fractures status post a motor vehicle collision. A year later, the patient presented with extensive intercostal heterotopic ossification associated with multilevel, hemithoracic, rib synostoses compromising her ventilation. The patient subsequently underwent synostoses excision and hardware removal. Pulmonary function tests (PFT), imaging, and patient-reported outcome scores demonstrate resolution of impairment.
Conclusion:
Resection of multilevel, intercostal, rib synostoses provided an effective treatment for pulmonary restrictive disorder secondary to traumatic rib synostosis. This is the first patient with documentation of prereconstructive and postreconstructive PFTs for chest wall synostosis excision.
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