Deploying Airbag in Motor Vehicle Collision as the Mechanism of Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: A Case Report

Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) is a disorder that is often misdiagnosed and challenging to treat due to the varied and complex mechanisms that precipitate common sensory symptoms associated with neurovascular dysfunction. In this report, we describe a 21-year-old male who presented with left NTOS after being involved in a motor vehicle collision the previous year. Although NTOS is a condition known to develop after motor vehicle collisions, the mechanism of NTOS in this case, the deploying airbag, has not been documented in existing literature. The patient was first treated conservatively with physical therapy, but treatment failed to relieve his symptoms. A left first rib resection using the transaxillary approach and an anterior scalenectomy was performed without any complications, and the patient's symptoms had improved 3 months postoperation.