Treatment of venous thoracic inlet syndrome – Specialties in athletes

Thoracic inlet syndrome (TIS), also known as Paget-Schroetter syndrome, is a relatively rare form of thoracic outlet syndrome. It is considered to be a consequence of compression and repetitive injury of the subclavian vein between the first ribs and the overlying clavicle, the scalenus anterior muscle, subclavius muscle and costoclavicular ligament. While relatively uncommon, this condition is probably the most frequently encountered vascular disorder in the young, healthy, competitive athlete. Although the treatment options to be considered for TIS are similar for all patients, competitive athletes often present special circumstances that need to be taken into account in the decision-making process. With early recognition, proper treatment with early thrombolysis, anticoagulation, surgical decompression and rehabilitation, most athletes can return to previous levels of performance within several months. There were 184 patients treated due to compression syndrome of the upper thoracic outlet between 2013–2016. We will report on the therapy and disease management of 5 professional athletes with TIS. In addition to the report, we are presenting the results of a relevant literature search.