An Unusual Presentation of Cervical Rib With Chronic Brachial Artery Thrombosis: A Case Report

Dr. Abhijit P. Gholap; Dr. Ketankumar L. Gandhi; Dr. Sanjay N. Patil

Volume : V, Issue : II, February - 2015

An Unusual Presentation of Cervical Rib With Chronic Brachial Artery Thrombosis: A Case Report

Dr. Abhijit P. Gholap, Dr. Ketankumar L. Gandhi, Dr. Sanjay N. Patil

Abstract :

Cervical ribs associated with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) lead to symptoms of Neurological TOS (NTOS) and in a few cases symptoms of Arterial TOS (ATOS) either due to stenosis or aneurysm of the subclavian artery. Symptoms of ATOS usually appear after the formation of emboli, which may dislodge either distally or retrograde. We report a similar case of TOS with bilateral cervical rib with unliateralsubclavian artery stenosis with chronic thrombus in the achial artery for which cervical rib excision was done. Arterial TOS is seen in less than one percent of cases and vascular sequelae occur due to intermittent and long term compression of the subclavian artery by the cervical rib. But there may be a need of surgical intervention in cases of acute ischaemia. But in cases having chronic thrombotic occlusion of the vessels where collaterals have developed, presenting with only neurological symptoms, only cervical rib excision may suffice.