Thoracic outlet syndrome after corrective surgery for pectus excavatum.

Two patients are described who developed a thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) after undergoing Ravitch's operation for the correction of pectus excavatum. In one case the syndrome developed a few days after surgery, whereas in the second patient it manifested more gradually. A third patient presented with latent TOS and pectus excavatum. It is recommended that prior to the correction of pectus excavatum, the patient should be examined to detect signs of neurovascular compression due to latent thoracic outlet syndrome. After surgery the possibility of this complication should be kept in mind to avoid permanent lesions of the cervicobrachial plexus.