The history of surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.

The history of surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is examined, ranging from the earliest recorded reference of TOS in the anatomic recognition of cervical ribs by Galen and Vesalius, to the current research on the diagnosis and treatment of TOS. The author discusses various cases that helped advance the use of surgery in treating TOS, tracing the years of progress that led to the present day understanding of the disease.