Excision of tumors in the thoracic inlet entail a risk of injury to subclavian vessels due to their close proximity. A right radial artery line can sensitively and continuously monitor the occurrence of right subclavian artery compression and warn the surgeon of its proximity and prevent injury. We describe a case of thoracic inlet tumor in a 12-year-old child, wherein the use of radial artery pressure monitoring guided the surgeon to separate the subclavian artery from the tumor to which it was adherent.
BazaralMGNachtAPetreJLytleBBadhwarKEstafanousFG. Radial artery pressures compared with subclavian artery pressure during coronary artery surgery. Cleve Clin J Med. 1988;55:448-457.
2.
MillerRD. Anesthesia. 5th ed.Section 4: Subspeciality management. Chapter 48: Anaesthesia for special thoracic procedures. New York: Churchill Livingstone; 1999.
3.
GargVJoshiRJoshiR. Compression of undiagnosed aberrant right subclavian artery during transesophageal echocardiography probe insertion. Ann Card Anaesth. 2012;15:233-235.
