Vascular Complications of Cervical Rib

Vascular symptoms are fairly common in cases of cervical rib, while vascular complication consisting in poststenotic aneurysm of the subclavian artery, possibly combined with thrombosis, is rare. Suspected arterial complications associated with cervical rib should prompt arteriography visualizing the whole subclavian artery. The presence of a poststenotic aneurysm is a clear indication for operation. At the operation the arterial compression should be relieved completely; the need for arterioplasty will depend on the size of the aneurysm and its content, if any, of thrombotic masses. Six cases of poststenotic aneurysm of the subclavian artery associated with cervical rib are reported.