Surgical Decompression for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in Adolescent Patients
Authors: Ransom Erin Fynan , Minton Heather , Young Bradley , Ponce Brent , McGwin Gerald , Meyer Richard , Brabston Eugene W. 
Published: July 2019

Objectives:

Thoracic outlet syndrome represents a complex combination of symptoms in the upper extremity that occurs due to compression of the neurovascular structures of the thoracic outlet or subcoracoid space. It can be seen in overhead athletes and is commonly misdiagnosed as other shoulder pathology. This study seeks to highlight patient characteristics, intraoperative findings, and both short term and long term outcomes of thoracic outlet decompression in the adolescent population as well as a comparison of outcomes by mechanism of injury including athletes.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was performed of patients between the ages of 13 and 21 with a clinical diagnosis of TOS that were treated surgically by a single surgeon between 2000 and 2015. Data points including preoperative patient characteristics and intraoperative findings were collected. In addition, patient reported outcome scores including quickDASH, CBSQ, VAS, and SANE were obtained for a cohort of patients with long-term follow up ranging from 2 to 15 years.

Results:

The study population consisted of 54 adolescents (61 extremities) aged 13-21 at the time of presentation. There was a 3:1 female to male ratio. Patients saw an average of 2.08 other healthcare providers before referral to our institution. The most common surgical procedures included neurolysis of the brachial plexus (60; 98.4%), anterior scalenectomy (59; 96.7%), middle scalenectomy (54; 88.5%), excision of the first rib (28; 45.9%), excision of cervical rib (5; 8.2%), and subclavian artery manipulation (50, 81.9%). A second incision in the subcoracoid space was utilized in 28 (45.9%) extremities for exploration of the infraclavicular brachial plexus with release of the coracocostal ligament in 26 of these 28 patients (92.9%). Long-term follow-up data, including patient reported outcomes, was collected for 24/54 patients (44%). In this patient subset, the average follow-up was 69.5 months and ranged from 24 months to 180 months. The average preoperative VAS was recorded at 8.2 with an average postoperative VAS of 2.0, showing an improvement of 6.2 points. The average preoperative SANE score was 28.9 and the average postoperative SANE score was 85.4 with an improvement in 56.5. The average postoperative quickDASH score was 11.4. The average postoperative CBSQ score was 27.4 . The average postoperative NTOS Index score was 17.2. Subgroup analysis was performed analyzing patients having a first rib excision versus patients where their first rib was left intact. There was no difference regarding clinical outcome measures in these groups including CBSQ, VAS, SANE score, quick DASH and NTOS index. An additional subgroup analysis was performed comparing mechanism of injury including overuse from sports, trauma, and idiopathic causes. There was also no difference regarding clinical outcome measures in these groups including CBSQ, VAS, SANE score, quick DASH and NTOS index.

Conclusion:

We found no difference in clinical outcome scores in patients treated with rib resection versus patients with the first rib left intact. We also found no difference in outcomes with respect to mechanism of injury including overhead sports athletes. Overall, patients did well long-term after decompression of the thoracic outlet. Thoracic outlet syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of athletes with upper extremity pain especially if they have neurologic findings.