Thoracic outlet syndrome: a review of 67 cases

From January 1948 to December 1977, 67 patients were admitted to the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome. Of these, 18 patients were treated conservatively; in the remaining 49 patients who underwent operation 54 operative procedures were performed. Three surgical approaches were used: posterior thoracoplasty (11 procedures), supraclavicular (18 procedures) and transaxillary (25 procedures). Long-term clinical improvement was documented in 6 patients who underwent posterior thoracoplasty, 9 patients in whom a supraclavicular approach was used and in all 21 patients in whom the approach was transaxillary.