title: Supraclavicular resection of the first rib for thoracic outlet syndrome.
abstract: The experience with supraclavicular transcervical first rib resection (or cervical rib resection) and total scalenotomy reported herein shows this to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with the thoracic outlet syndrome. We recommend this method as a satisfactory anatomic approach for the correction of this condition. Its advantages are as follows: anatomic structures may be visualized fully by both the surgeon and the assistant; complex or recurrent thoracic outlet problems may be dealt with directly; additional procedures (such as vascular graft, neurolysis, neck exploration, sympathectomy and cervical rib resection) may be performed; the procedure can be done in 90 minutes or less; neither the patient nor the assistant is obliged to assume an awkward or strained position and consequently the likelihood of intraoperative iatrogenic injury is reduced; and neither the period of hospitalization nor the period of immobility is longer than with the other operative techniques currently used for this condition.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002968:Clavicle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012272:Ribs / Q000601:surgery*; D013901:Thoracic Outlet Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*