Thoracic outlet syndrome. Update and review of the literature

Abstract

Introduction: the term thoracic outlet syndrome includes various disorders, difficult to treat, that occur as a result of intermittent or persistent compression of the different elements that come out of the chest to the arm and cause vascular, neurological or mixed symptoms.

Objective: to provide updated information on the subject to the Neurosurgery and Orthopedics specialists of the province, since they are the specialties which most often treat this patients.

Method: a literature search was carried out on different domestic and foreign data bases, available online; the most updated works were selected in both Spanish and English languages and, from them, a review about this disorder was developed, which includes a brief description of it, its presentation, surgical anatomy and treatment options and its results.

Development: adequate patient assessment has prognostic value facing the treatment options, either conservative or surgical, so that the selection of candidates either can generate excellent results in a high percentage of cases.

Conclusions: thoracic outlet syndrome is one of the most controversial entity in Medicine; it is three times more common in women than in men and is predominant in ages between 30 and 45 years. The fundamental symptomatological spectrum is neuropathic and not vascular; structuring of the signs and symptoms consolidates over a long period of time approaching, on average, two and a half years