Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory as a predictor of operative results in thoracic outlet syndrome

Twenty-one women and four men who had been operated upon for thoracic outlet syndrome were evaluated for symptom relief, and the results were blindly correlated with their scores on a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Of the 14 patients who had abnormal results on the MMPI, five rated themselves improved, seven unchanged, and two worse as a result of surgery. Of the 11 patients who had a normal MMPI, ten rated themselves improved and one unchanged (P less than .05). Patients were then divided into two groups--those who were improved and those who were not improved by surgery--and mean MMPI scale scores were obtained for each group. There were significant differences for MMPI scales 1 and 3 (P less than .05).