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. 2024 Jul;70(1):28-35.
doi: 10.1002/mus.28080. Epub 2024 Mar 26.

Botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome: A systematic review

Tyler T Woodworth  1 , Austin Le  1 , Campbell Miller  1 , Aaron Conger  1 , Mark A Mahan  2 , Daniel M Cushman  1   3
Affiliations

Botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome: A systematic review

Tyler T Woodworth et al. Muscle Nerve. 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Botulinum toxin (BTX) injections into the musculature surrounding the brachial plexus have been examined as a potential treatment for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (nTOS). This systematic review identified 15 publications, of which one was a randomized controlled trial. BTX injections performed with ultrasound or electromyographic guidance, and with the inclusion of the pectoralis minor muscle, in addition to the anterior and/or middle scalenes, tended to provide greater symptom improvement and may predict response to first rib resection. Importantly, most studies were of low quality; thus, the results should be interpreted with caution. Further high-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Keywords: botulinum toxin; chemodenervation; nTOS; scalene; thoracic outlet syndrome.

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References

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