Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Case Reports and Analysis With Ultrasound Imaging

EMG Labs of Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates

Status: Completed

Conditions: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01196637

TOS-US BP JAOA

Details and patient eligibility

About

Thoracic outlet syndrome is caused by compression of the brachial plexus, in most cases under the pectoralis minor muscle in the infraclavicular region of the shoulder. The hypothesis is that ultrasound imaging can be used to visualize brachial plexus compression and distortion of the pectoralis muscle during arm activity, such as abduction, and that normal subjects will not demonstrate any plexus compression or muscle distortion.

Full description

Four patients with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) underwent clinical exam and nerve testing to prove that they had TOS and no other nerve abnormality. They subsequently had ultrasound imaging of the shoulder (infraclavicular region) at rest and during arm abduction stress testing. Two control subjects had similar clinical exams and nerve testing to prove they did not have TOS, and then underwent similar ultrasound stress testing. The TOS patients demonstrated brachial plexus compression and pectoralis minor muscle distortion during the stress tests, and the normal subjects showed no plexus compression or muscle distortion.

Enrollment: 6 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Thoracic outlet patients must have:

• symptoms consistent with thoracic outlet syndrome, and
• no electrical testing abnormality, and
• positive arm abduction stress tests.

Normal subjects must have:

• no upper limb symptoms, or
• normal nerve testing, and
• negative arm abduction stress test

Exclusion criteria

Thoracic outlet patients excluded if they have:

• nerve test abnormalities, or
• negative arm abduction stress test

Normals excluded if they have:

• abnormalities on nerve testing, or
• positive arm abduction stress tests

Trial design

6 participants in 2 patient groups

Thoracic outlet syndrome

Description:

These patients have documented thoracic outlet syndrome

Normal Subjects

Description:

These patients have no thoracic outlet syndrome