First rib resection and scalenectomy for chronically occluded subclavian veins: what does it really do?
First rib resection and scalenectomy is an acceptable therapy for those with axillosubclavian vein thrombosis who have responded to lytic therapy and demonstrated subclavian vein patency. However, the treatment for those patients who present with a chronically occluded subclavian vein is controversial. We present four such patients who underwent first rib resection and scalenectomy and whose subclavian vein spontaneously opened within the first year following surgery while anticoagulated, as well as the ultrasound protocol we employ at our institution to identify such reopening. The average age of these patients was 20 (range 17-23) years; three were male and one was female. The average time interval prior to surgery when the initial thrombosis occurred was 25 (12-34) weeks. All patients were symptomatic and underwent a transaxillary first rib resection and scalenectomy with attention to incise the subclavius tendon. All were maintained on warfarin postoperatively and surveilled by dup
