Safety and efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for residual venous stenosis after surgical decompression in venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) performed within 90 days to treat residual venous stenosis following surgical decompression for venous thoracic outlet syndrome (vTOS).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

In this institutional review board (IRB)-approved retrospective study, patients who underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty within 90 days of surgical decompression for venous thoracic outlet syndrome between January 2000 and December 2023 were included. Following surgery, patients underwent post-operative venography within 90 days, and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed if there was radiographic evidence of subclavian venous stenosis. Post-angioplasty, patients were followed clinically, and venography was performed if symptoms recurred.

RESULTS

We found 133 patients (mean age = 31.7 years, 54 males) who underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty within 90 days of surgical decompression for venous thoracic outlet syndrome. Two patients in our study had bilateral symptoms and underwent bilateral surgical decompression followed by bilateral angioplasty. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was technically successful in 127/135 (94.1 %) extremities. In eight (5.9 %) extremities, the venous occlusion could not be crossed. There were no adverse events from the percutaneous angioplasty procedure. Twenty (15.7 %) extremities developed recurrent symptoms at a median of 162 days following percutaneous angioplasty, and venography confirmed the recurrent venous stenosis. The primary patency rates following percutaneous transluminal angioplasty at 6, 12, 36, 60, and 84 months were 92 %, 86 %, 85 %, 84 %, and 83 % respectively.

CONCLUSION

Residual venous stenosis following surgical decompression for venous thoracic outlet syndrome can be safely and effectively treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty within 90 days to achieve high long-term patency rates.