Surgical and endovascular central venous reconstruction combined with thoracic outlet decompression in highly symptomatic patients.

Background: Subclavian vein stenosis or occlusion at the thoracic outlet is a problem associated with certain anatomic and environmental stresses (venous thoracic outlet syndrome [VTOS]), the presence of central venous catheters, and the high flows associated with arteriovenous (AV) access in the limb. We describe our experience with open and endovascular techniques for restoring patency in highly symptomatic patients.

Methods: A prospectively collected database of patients was queried for patients treated for central venous obstructive disease in the setting of highly symptomatic VTOS and ipsilateral AV access from October 2011 to August 2016.

Results: During the study period, 54 procedures were performed in 53 patients (68% male; mean age, 50.1 years). Indications for operation were venous outflow obstruction in patients with conventional VTOS (n = 19) or costoclavicular junction stenosis associated with ipsilateral dialysis access (n = 34). All patients had significant symptoms of swelling or pain. Eight patients underwent on-table pharmacomechanical thrombolysis for acute occlusion. All patients underwent costoclavicular junction decompression, 48 by infraclavicular first rib resection and 5 by claviculectomy; 6 patients underwent sternoclavicular rotation (Molina procedure) in addition to rib resection for further exposure. Surgical reconstruction of the vein was employed in 18 patients (33%); 9 underwent interposition grafting, 1 had jugular turndown, and 8 had patch angioplasty. The one patient undergoing two procedures suffered acute occlusion after patch repair followed by jugular turndown. Four patients underwent surgical reconstruction after thrombolysis. Endovascular procedures were performed in 36 patients (67%); 23 underwent venous angioplasty alone, and 13, all with hemodialysis access-associated stenosis, underwent stenting. Mean operative time was 135 (±63.5) minutes, and mean estimated blood loss was 238 (±261) mL. Median length of stay was 4 days. Perioperative complications were noted in 14 (26.4%) patients, including wound complications (n = 6), cardiac complications (n = 4), reocclusion (n = 3), and hemothorax requiring chest tube placement (n = 1) in a patient undergoing on-table thrombolysis. Mean follow-up was 13.6 (0.6-58.5) months. Initial clinical symptom relief was experienced in 100% of patients at the time of hospital discharge. During follow-up, 5 (9.4%) patients developed recurrent symptoms, 6 (11.3%) had reocclusion of the central system, and 16 (30.2%) required reintervention for restenosis, all but 2 in patients with ipsilateral hemodialysis access. Mean time to reintervention was 134 (±285) days.

Conclusions: Given our decision-making threshold, both open and endovascular procedures are associated with relatively low morbidity and high efficacy for treatment of central venous occlusion in both symptomatic VTOS and AV access-associated subclavian vein disease. Restenosis is common in patients with a patent ipsilateral hemodialysis access.