Doppler Adson's test: predictor of outcome of surgery in non-specific thoracic outlet syndrome.

Abstract

Outcome of surgery in non-specific thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is variable. Duplex imaging of the subclavian artery during Adson's maneuvre may help predict outcome. A retrospective study of 16 cases of non-specific TOS who had pre-operative duplex imaging of the subclavian artery during Adson's maneuvre was done and their outcomes following surgical decompression of the thoracic outlet studied. Of the eight cases with a positive Adson's test, seven (87.5%) had a complete response of symptoms following surgery while in the eight cases with a negative test, only four (50%) had a favorable response to surgery. Duplex scanning of the thoracic outlet during Adson's maneuvre may help predict outcome of thoracic outlet decompression surgery in cases of non-specific TOS.