Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS): A case report of a rare complication after Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum.

RATIONALE: The Nuss procedure has become a major alternative operation for patients with pectus excavatum (PE).

PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a case of 27-year-old man with PE who developed thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) after the Nuss procedure. The patient showed clinical symptoms of brachial plexus compression.

DIAGNOSES: Further evaluation demonstrated a narrowed space between the first rib and the anterior scalene muscle and compressing the brachial plexus and vessels.

INTERVENTIONS: Nerve nourishing medicine and rehabilitation exercising were taken to restore the muscle strength.

OUTCOMES: Several months later, the clinical symptoms disappeared.

LESSONS: Medicine and rehabilitation exercising may benefit the functional recovery of impaired nerve in TOS in the early stage of TOS.