Question 1

can thoracic outlet syndrome be cured?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes: Yes, usully with surgery in severe symptomatic cases.

Question 2

is thoracic outlet syndrome permanent?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily.: Assuming that is correct diagnosis, this can commonly be helped with physical therapy. There may be necessity to consider surgical intervention for refractory symptoms, yet that surgery is commonly successful. This is a difficult diagnosis, to come to, so I would make sure you are comfortable with how you came to this diagnosis, and if not consider another opinion.

Question 3

what is thoracic outlet syndrome release?

Accepted Answer

Surgery: Thoracic outlet surgery is done to remove pressure or compression of the nerve, artery, and vein going to the arm. This involves removing the first rib, and releasing any scar tissue present. This results in significant reduction in symptoms in most cases.

Question 4

what are the symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome?

Accepted Answer

Pain, numbness: Thoracic outlet syndrome can affect the vein, artery or nerves of the arms. Symptoms can include swelling of the arms, (vein compression) pain or numbness when using the arms overhead, or pain that can extend from the neck or shoulder down to the hands or fingers. Most symptoms are aggravated by doing things that narrow the space where vein, atery and nerve travelling to the arm are.

Question 5

is thoracic outlet syndrome fatal?

Accepted Answer

No.: There is no known mortality associated with thoracic outlet syndrome, but complications can arise during surgical treatment.

Question 6

what's neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome?

Accepted Answer

TOS: Thoracic outlet may affect nerves in the brachial plexus, or the veins and arteries passing from the neck into the chest wall.  If the problem spares the blood vessels, and affects the nerves only, causing pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, then the classification describes "neurogenic" tos.  This is by far the most common presentation, and can be confirmed by sophisticated EMG testing.

Question 7

is surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome curative?

Accepted Answer

Type of TOS?: Patients with cervical rib, arterial TOS, or Venous TOS may require surgery. Only about 10-15% of patients with symptomatic TOS come to surgery. Success rate somewhere in the 90% range for appropriately chosen patients. Most patients respond to therapy and/or medications.

Question 8

is surgery effective for thoracic outlet syndrome ?

Accepted Answer

Which form of TOS?: Thoracic outlet syndrome (tos) comes in three general varieties: neurogenic (about 90-95% of all tos patients), venous, and arterial. Most surgeons who work on tos will agree that neurogenic tos (ntos) responds well to physical therapy and is often times more effective than surgery. Surgery is most effective for vtos and especially atos, however. Still for ntos there are big proponents of surgery.

Question 9

how can i rehab after thoracic outlet syndrome surgery?

Accepted Answer

Physical therapy: Slowly increasing your movements, your range of motion , and slowly increase your strength training.

Question 10

can surgery make neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome worse?

Accepted Answer

Well... yes...: surgery is cutting on tissue. It can irritate the nerve and/or produce scar tissue. It would be expected to open up the area to allow the nerve to not be compressed but the consequences of surgery often produce similar situations even when done right.

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Can surgery make neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome worse?

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