Being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome means that the walls of the arteries, whose job is to transfer blood to and from the heart, are clogged and obstructing the free flow of blood to its required area. There are limited options used to deal with this area and none of them can fully guarantee clearance. The basic options available are prescription drugs, vascular laser therapy and surgery. These options are usually approached in this same order to make sure that an invasive surgery is not done on a patient who could be cured through prescription drugs.
Prescription Drugs
This form of treatment is usually a dermatologist’s first choice. The vascular treatment plan here would be to prescribe the appropriate medicine and observe whether or not it has an effect on the person’s condition at all. This would typically be the first stage of treatment. Using prescription drugs however requires quite a lengthy time to work and may not be the best option for an individual who has reached a more serious stage of vascular disease. To ensure that such an occurrence does not take place, make sure that the patient is examined well and discuss what kind of treatment would be the most beneficial to him.
Laser Treatment
Vascular laser treatment is the second option approached by vascular surgeons. This is a minimally invasive procedure which includes light and head penetrating through the skin to reach the abnormal blood vessels that are most probably causing the complication. Once the heat reaches the abnormal blood vessels, it applies a large amount of heat on a concentrated area for a short while and this kills the nerves. The body has a way of naturally getting rid of the dead tissues and so, if this kind of treatment proves successful, that is what to be expected.
This method however, does not guarantee a 100% clearance. The procedure is stretched over a period of time through which your dermatologist would observe and suggest lifestyle changes to assist with the vascular laser treatment you are undergoing.
Surgery
The final approach to this would be to undergo surgery. This decision would be taken if the patient is brought in in serious condition or if the previous approach has not made much of a difference. In this method the vascular surgeon would insert a graft or stent through which the blood would be rerouted or the surgeon would attempt to clear the blocked artery.
These are the three most commonly known and accepted treatment options for and kind of vascular diseases which prove somewhat effective.