How long does it take to recover from TOS surgery?
Recovery: Most patients will feel some level of discomfort/pain as they recover from surgery for at least 1-2 weeks. Return to activity: Patients often to return to light activity in seven to 10 days. Returning to work, therefore, will depend on the physical demands of the job.
Is TOS surgery painful?
After leaving the hospital, patients can return to their normal daily routine but should not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for four weeks. Some patients may have some occasional discomfort, but the pain from the surgery can be controlled with over-the-counter pain pills.
Can TOS come back after surgery?
During follow-up visits, in some cases over five years after surgery, patients reported an improvement in their symptoms. These long-term outcomes are an important discovery, as recurrence is far less likely more than two years after an operation, according to the Center for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
Can thoracic outlet syndrome come back?
Recurrent symptoms develop in 15% to 20% of patients undergoing either first rib resection or scalenectomy for thoracic outlet syndrome. Over the past 22 years 134 operations for recurrence were performed in 97 patients.
How serious is thoracic outlet syndrome surgery?
Thoracic outlet syndrome surgery has risks of complications, such as injury to the brachial plexus. Also, surgery may not relieve your symptoms, and symptoms may recur.
What is the success rate of TOS surgery?
With judicious patient selection and proper patient adherence to physical therapy and movement restrictions until pain is resolved, surgical treatment of TOS can lead to improvement in about 80 percent of patients.
Is TOS serious?
If left untreated, arterial TOS can lead to serious complications, including: An aneurysm, or weak spot or bulge in your artery. Over time, the aneurysm can burst, causing life-threatening internal bleeding. Blood clots, which can block the flow of blood to your hands and fingers.
Is TOS a disability?
Undiagnosed, untreated TOS can result in chronic pain and life crippling disability in young, productive patients. TOS properly diagnosed and correctly treated is life changing. Some patients are either told or made to feel that they are suffering from a psychiatric disorder or “functional pathology”.
Is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome a disability?
Because thoracic outlet pain worsens with movement, doing your work can become incredibly painful. Weakness and lack of dexterity in the hands and arms may render you unable to manually perform tasks you formerly did with ease. Once TOS advances to this degree, you may be completely disabled.
Does vascular TOS require surgery?
Surgery is usually recommended for venous TOS. This may involve removing both the scalene and subclavius muscles and first rib. The vein itself must also be treated. Blood clots often form around the damaged inner surface of the compressed vein.
Can you fix thoracic outlet syndrome?
Treatment may include: Physical therapy. If you have neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, physical therapy is the first line of treatment. You’ll learn how to do exercises that strengthen and stretch your shoulder muscles to open the thoracic outlet, improve your range of motion and improve your posture.
Should I get TOS surgery?
How does balloon angioplasty help with thoracic outlet syndrome?
Balloon angioplasty helps open narrowed arteries in the arm and chest after a rib resection in people with arterial thoracic outlet syndrome. Balloon venoplasty opens narrowed veins in the arm and chest caused by venous thoracic outlet syndrome .
How is the anterior scalene resected in thoracic outlet syndrome?
The anterior scalene is partially resected, allowing visualization of the subclavian artery, which can be mobilized to improve exposure of the rib. The brachial plexus will be seen lateral to the artery and should be dissected from the surrounding tissue.
How is thoracic outlet syndrome ( TOS ) diagnosed?
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) that can be objectively identified by your doctor with the use of specialized electrodiagnostic tests called electromyography (EMG). A diagnosis for this condition is usually confirmed when an EMG test objectively demonstrates a patient’s neurological deficits.
What kind of surgery is needed for thoracic outlet syndrome?
Surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome 1 Rib Resection. People with damage to an artery or vein are typically treated with a rib resection. 2 Balloon Angioplasty and Venoplasty. Our vascular surgeons may perform minimally invasive procedures called balloon angioplasty or balloon venoplasty. 3 Scalenectomy.