Influence of body mass index on functional and surgical outcomes in transaxillary thoracic outlet decompression for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.

Objective: Despite an increase in prevalence of obesity over the last decades, few studies examine the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the outcome of thoracic outlet decompression (TOD) for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS). However, it is important to understand the safety and efficacy of this procedure in patients with elevated BMI. This study aimed to determine the influence of BMI on surgical and functional outcomes following transaxillary TOD in patients with NTOS.

Trans-axillary thoracic outlet decompression.

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a group of conditions thought to be caused by the compression of neurovascular structures going to the upper extremity. TOS is a difficult disease to diagnose, and surgical treatment remains challenging. Many different surgical techniques for the treatment of TOS have been described in the literature and many reasonable to good outcomes have been reported, which makes it hard for surgeons to determine which techniques should be used.

Surgical approaches for thoracic outlet decompression in the treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a controversial and uncommon syndrome. Three different diagnoses can be made based on the compressed structure: arterial TOS, venous TOS, and neurogenic TOS. Diagnosing TOS, especially neurogenic TOS, remains difficult since a single diagnostic tool does not exist.

General Overview and Diagnostic (Imaging) Techniques for Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Thoracic outlet syndrome is an uncommon and controversial syndrome. Three different diagnoses can be made based on the compressed structure, arterial TOS, venous TOS, and neurogenic TOS, though combinations do exist as well. Diagnosing NTOS is difficult since no specific objective diagnostic modalities exist.