Horner's syndrome as a complication in thoracic surgical practice.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence, reasons and prognosis about Horner's syndrome in thoracic surgical patients.


METHODS
In this prospective clinical study, 933 adult patients were assessed between the years of 1998 and 2002. All patients who underwent chest tube insertion (n: 662 patients) or thoracotomy (n: 342 patients), or who had thoracic trauma (n: 268 patients) were routinely examined to detect of Horner's syndrome. The patients with Horner's syndrome due to the invasion of malignant tumour to sympathetic chain were not included in the study.


RESULTS
Horner's syndrome was detected in twelve patients from these 933 patients (1.3%). The considered etiologic factors were chest tube pressure in five patients, operative complication in two patients and trauma in five patients. In patients with chest tube pressure were fully recovered from Horner's syndrome but the remaining did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Malposition of the chest tube is an important aetiological factor of Horner's syndrome, and it is reversible if the tube position is corrected urgently.
Kaya
Seyda Ors
SO
Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Pamukkale University, Medicine Faculty, Doktorlar Cad. No: 42, 20100, Denizli, Turkey. skaya@pamukkale.edu.tr
Liman
Serife Tuba
ST
Bir
Levent Sinan
LS
Yuncu
Gokhan
G
Erbay
Hakan Riza
HR
Unsal
Saban
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015505:Chest Tubes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006732:Horner Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*