Risk Of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome With Breast Augmentation?

I don't think that having breast implants can create thoracis outlet syndrome; however, there may be some reports of individuals who are prone to TOS that get exacerbated from having their arm positioned outward during the procedure of breast augmentation itself.

Any flareup of TOS should be self-limited and resolve in time with physical therapy.

I hope this clarifies.

If a patient has thoracic outlet syndrome, the arm positioning during the procedure may exacerbate the symptoms for a period of time, but this usually resolves spontaneously.  The placement of a breast implant does not affect the area of the thoracic outlet-it is a different anatomic site.

i am not aware of TOS being reported from breast augmentation..  if there is a report it is extemely . it would be difficult for an augmentation to anatomically create  this syndrome.

Breast implants sit in front of the rib cage.  TOS is anatomically different.  The only possible way anyone could ever associate the two is if during a trans-axillary approach they went in the wrong direction (ie the opposite direction from where they should be going) and injured the nerves.  More likely whatever you found incorrectly associated TOS with upper extremity nerve problems from incorrect hand positioning during surgery that took way too long.

Sincerely, 
 

Martin Jugenburg, MD

Hi there-

I have never heard of a patient experiencing TOS symptoms as a result of Breast Augmentation, nor have I ever had a patient in my practice (many hundreds of breast augmentations) ever experience this.

I'm not sure where you read this....