Percutaneous transluminal laser guide wire recanalization of chronic subclavian artery occlusion in symptomatic coronary-subclavian steal syndrome.

Treatment of subclavian artery stenosis by percutaneous balloon angioplasty and adjunctive stent placement was shown to be safe and efficacious, but it may be limited in tight stenoses and long occlusions. We describe the case of a patient who experienced progressive angina pectoris associated with signs of cerebrovertebral insufficiency 9 yr after bypass surgery, including left internal mammary artery (LIMA) grafting to the left anterior descending coronary artery. Angiography showed reversed flow through the LIMA graft into the subclavian artery and a 4-cm occlusion beginning at the origin of the left subclavian artery, representing a rare coronary-subclavian steal syndrome. After a conventional approach failed, recanalization was performed successfully using laser guide wire angioplasty with adjunctive stent placement in a combined radial and femoral approach.     

Restenosis following subclavian artery angioplasty for treatment of coronary-subclavian steal syndrome: Definitive treatment with Palmaz-stent placement

We report a case of progressive angina pectoris 4 years post coronary bypass surgery, in which the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was grafted to the native left anterior descending coronary artery. The coronary-subclavian steal phenomenon was proven angiographically with retrograde reflux through the LIMA graft into the distal subclavian vessel, downstream from a critical stenosis at the origin of the subclavian artery. After initially successful angioplasty of the ostial subclavian lesion, restenosis and return of angina prompted repeat dilatation and placement of a Palmaz 154-M stent. Follow-up catheterization has demonstrated persistent patency at the stented site and absence of coronary steal. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome: treatment by stenting of the left subclavian artery

A 48-year-old Turkish male presented with worsening angina and a painful left hand eight years after coronary artery bypass surgery. Coronary angiography showed extensive coronary atherosclerosis with patent vein grafts to his diagonal branch and right coronary arteries. There was a severe narrowing lesion in the left subclavian artery before the origin of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA), which appeared patent. Percutaneous subclavian angioplasty and stent implantation to the left subclavian artery stenosis restored normal flow to the left hand and the LIMA with abolition of his ischemic hand symptom and marked improvement of his angina.     

Relief of Angina Pectoris When Carrying Heavy Loads with the Left Hand in a Patient with Previous Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Operation Who Has Severe Exercise Angina: A Case Report

In patients with known coronary artery disease and/or a history of revascularization, angina pectoris or unstable coronary syndromes are usually attributed to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions rather than an unrecognized great vessel disease. However, for patients with a previous coronary artery bypass graft operation (CABG), during which a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) conduit has been used, great vessel disease, especially subclavian artery stenosis should also be suspected. We present a case of a patient with a LIMA conduit who has angina pectoris on exertion, but interestingly the pain is relieved when he carries heavy loads with his left hand, which can be due to increased blood flow to the LIMA conduit during heavy lifting because of increased peripheral resistance. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

'Cold hand, ischemic heart': treatment by stenting of the left subclavian artery

A 59-year-old man presented with worsening angina and a cold, painful left hand, eight years after coronary artery bypass surgery. Coronary angiography showed extensive coronary atherosclerosis with blocked vein grafts to his left circumflex and right coronary arteries. There was a severe narrowing in the left subclavian artery before the origin of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) which appeared patent. PTCA and stent implantation to the left subclavian artery stenosis restored normal flow to the left hand and the LIMA with abolition of his ischemic hand symptoms and marked improvement of his angina.     

Coronary-subclavian steal syndrome. A case report.

Coronary-subclavian steal is an unusual clinical syndrome after successful internal mammary-coronary artery bypass grafting. Proximal subclavian artery (SA) stenosis is present and atherosclerotic disease is the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism in the majority of cases. The authors report a case of a sixty-two-year old man with angina and ventricular fibrillation soon after myocardial revascularization with left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending coronary (LAD). Dobutamine stress echocardiography showed ischemia in the anterior myocardial territory with patent LIMA-LAD bypass in the angiographic evaluation. This procedure showed occlusion of the proximal SA with reversal of flow in the LIMA. The best therapeutic approach was discussed and a carotid-subclavian bypass was performed with restoration of antegrade blood flow and reversal of the clinical setting.     

Simultaneous coronary - subclavian and vertebral - subclavian steal syndrome.

Atherosclerotic disease of the coronary artery may simultaneously involve the subclavian artery, and a significant stenosis of the left subclavian artery may result in recurrent myocardial ischemia in patients with patent left internal mammary artery (LIMA) grafts because of 'coronary steal' through the LIMA. Isometric exercise of the left arm may improve myocardial perfusion through vertebral - subclavian steal by flow reversal in the ipsilateral vertebral artery because of the change in the pressure gradient between the circle of Willis and the distal subclavian artery. The present patient had coronary steal through a LIMA after coronary artery bypass surgery and a transient vertebral - subclavian steal with improved myocardial perfusion as a result of exercise of the left arm.     

Coronary-subclavian steal associated with severe aortic stenosis treated with combined percutaneous stenting and minimally invasive aortic valve replacement

We describe coronary-subclavian steal restricting flow to the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) associated with critical aortic stenosis treated with combined percutaneous transluminal stenting and minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (AVR). An 86-year-old patient had coronary artery bypass graft placement (CABG) seven years prior with the LIMA anastomosed to the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). At the time of CABG, the patient had mild aortic stenosis and normal left ventricular function. By the time of re-presentation with refractory angina and heart failure, the patient had developed critical aortic stenosis. Because repeat CABG with median sternotomy risked damaging the LIMA, pre-operative revascularization was planned to minimize the likelihood of peri-operative ischemia. Stenting of the subclavian artery was performed prior to minimally invasive AVR.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of proximal subclavian artery stenosis after left internal mammary to left anterior descending artery bypass surgery.

A patient is described who underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, through a brachial approach, of a high grade stenosis at the proximal portion of the left subclavian artery 1.5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting including left internal mammary to left anterior descending artery anastomosis. Symptoms of class IV angina, vertebrobasilar insufficiency and occupational arm claudication that developed after bypass surgery were promptly relieved after balloon dilation. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the subclavian artery can be performed safely and provides an alternative to carotid-subclavian or axillary-axillary bypass surgery for treatment of internal mammary artery graft malfunction.     

Successful percutaneous revascularization of totally occluded left subclavian artery using orbital atherectomy

Subclavian artery steal (SAS) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) has been reported to be as high as 3.4%. These patients with patent left internal mammary artery (LIMA) anastomosis will also have coronary–subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS). Percutaneous intervention (PCI) by balloon angioplasty (BA) and stenting has been done successfully for subclavian artery (SA) stenosis. The visibility of the vertebral artery (VA) and LIMA during BA and stent positioning is extremely important. Debulking total occlusions by orbital atherectomy (OA) and avoiding unnecessary BA, stenting across side branches may decrease the chance of plaque shifting and subsequent loss of flow especially if they have ostial disease. Herein we report successful OA, BA and stenting of chronic total occlusion (CTO) of proximal left subclavian artery in a patient with coronary–subclavian steal syndrome with preservation of LIMA and diseased left vertebral artery (VA).     

Interventional treatment of the left subclavian in 2 patients with coronary steal syndrome

In patients with history of coronary artery disease angina pectoris is usually attributed to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. However,in patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft operation(CABG) using internal mammary artery grafts,great vessel disease should also be considered. Herein we present two patients with history of CABG whose symptoms were suspicious for coronary ischemia. During cardiac catheterization reverse blood flow was observed from the left artery disease to the left internal mammary artery(LIMA) graft in both cases. After angioplasty and stent implantation of the left subclavian artery antegrade flow was restored in the LIMA grafts and both patients had complete resolution of symptoms.     

Atresia of the left internal mammary artery graft following percutaneous intervention of the left main

Because of its durability and patency, the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is preferentially used to bypass obstructive lesions in the left main coronary artery (LMCA) and/or the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The long-term patency of the LIMA graft is determined by several factors, principal among them being the dynamic competition between flow through the internal mammary artery graft and the LAD. We report a patient with LMCA stenosis and a well-functioning and mature LIMA graft, who after percutaneous intervention of the LMCA and normalized antegrade flow in the LAD, developed atresia of a large caliber LIMA graft.     

Subclavian artery stenosis: An unusual cause of periprocedural myocardial infarction following the surgical myocardial revascularization

The introduced case report explains the atypical periprocedural myocardial infarction following the surgical myocardial revascularization. 60-year-old man has undergone the coronary bypass surgery with arterial graft of left mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) and venous graft to posterior interventricular branch of right coronary artery. Early in the post-surgery period a perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI) developed, with laboratory correlation of cardio-specific enzymes elevation and ECG changes in terms of ischaemia in the diaphragmatic region. Echocardiography showed akinesia of the apex, apical septal and apical inferior segments accompanied by the decrease in ejection fraction (EF) of the left ventricle. Selective coronarography was performed showed the proper functionality of arterial as well as venous graft, however, examination also showed severe stenosis of the left subclavian artery (LSA) with limitation of flow through LIMA. Percutaneous angioplasty of the LSA and implantation of the stent was performed in the emergency regime with optimal results. In severe stenosis of the LSA, the progression of the so-called coronary-subclavial steal syndrome is developed, with retrograde flow into LIMA resulting in ischaemia of the supplied part of the myocardium. Nevertheless, steal phenomenon with reverse flow in LIMA is not an absolute requisite for development of the myocardial ischaemia. In some cases stenosis of the LSA manifests in similar fashion as the proximal stenosis of LIMA, which was the case of with the patient shown here.     

Prevalence of subclavian artery stenosis in patients with peripheral vascular disease

Internal mammary arteries (IMA) as conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting are superior to saphenous vein grafts. If there is subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) proximal to the IMA graft, impairment of flow to the IMA may occur. If the stenosis is severe, retrograde flow from the grafted coronary artery to the brachial artery may lead to angina. Following the identification of 2 cases of angina secondary to subclavian artery stenosis at their institution, the authors prospectively performed arch angiography in a cohort of patients with manifestations of peripheral vascular disease undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography to assess the prevalence of subclavian stenosis. Fifty-two patients were enrolled in the protocol, with 48 patients having technically acceptable studies. Of these 48, 41.6% had measurable stenosis of at least one of the brachiocephalic arteries, with 35% of patients with at least a 30% stenosis of the left subclavian artery and 18.7% with more than 50% stenosis. They conclude that patients with significant peripheral vascular disease undergoing coronary angiography who are potential candidates for revascularization may benefit from arch angiography as part of their initial evaluation.     

Prevalence and treatment of proximal left subclavian artery stenosis in patients referred for coronary artery bypass surgery

The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is currently used in most coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries due to excellent long-term patency. Left subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) proximal to the LIMA origin can cause a steal syndrome leading to myocardial ischemia or LIMA failure. We retrospectively evaluated the records of 608 consecutive patients referred for CABG at our institution between October 1, 2004 and October 1, 2006 and identified 226 patients (37%) who underwent left subclavian angiography immediately after diagnostic coronary angiography. Significant left SAS was found in 6 of those 226 patients (2.7%). Subclavian angiography did not result in any complications. All left SAS lesions were successfully stented, followed by CABG surgery (using the LIMA artery) after 22+/-7 days. Left subclavian angiography in patients referred for coronary artery bypass surgery has low risk and may identify a small proportion of patients with significant proximal left SAS. Stenting of proximal left SAS can be accomplished before CABG with low risk and excellent short-term outcomes.     

Subclavian coronary steal syndrome: an obligatory common fate between subclavian artery,internal mammary graft and coronary circulation

The long-term patency of the left internal mammary artery (IMA) has made it the preferred conduit for myocardial revascularization. The proximal segment of the subclavian artery becomes functionally connected to the coronary circulation as a result of IMA implantation during coronary artery bypass surgery. The subclavian coronary steal syndrome results from stenosis in the left subclavian artery proximal to the IMA, compromising blood flow to the myocardium. We describe 7 patients, aged 55-75 years, 1.7-10.5 years after coronary bypass who presented with recurrent angina due to subclavian artery stenosis. The IMA graft was found open in each patient. A true steal mechanism was not demonstrated, casting doubt on the syndrome's traditional name. Angioplasty and stenting of the subclavian artery resulted in the immediate disappearance of angina and continuous benefit at a follow-up of 3-32 months. The subclavian coronary steal syndrome, although rare, is a severe condition readily treated by angioplasty and stenting.     

A uncommon cause of angina during upper limb exercise.

Subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion may be a cause of myocardial ischemia in patients treated using an internal mammary artery graft. Subclavian stenosis may cause myocardial ischemia during arm exercise by a coronary-subclavian steal phenomenon, with flow inversion in the graft from the coronary tree to the left subclavian artery. We here describe a case of a patient developing left subclavian occlusion after coronary artery bypass grafting with the left internal mammary artery. The lesion was successfully treated with a carotid-subclavian bypass. The article underscores the importance of an early diagnosis (possibly before bypass surgery) and discusses possible treatments. Percutaneous interventions with stent implantation appear the treatment of choice, but surgery has an important role in case of total occlusion.     

Perioperative rupture of the LIMA graft leading to cardiogenic shock,emergency angiography,and stenting with a polytetrafluoroethylene‐covered stent

A 58‐year‐old man underwent an elective coronary bypass graft for severe four‐vessel stenosis. Cardiogenic shock developed just after coronary bypass grafting with a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending (LAD) artery and superficial venous graft to 1^st and 2^nd obtuse marginal (OM1/OM2) arteries the posterior descending artery (PDA) was too small to graft. Despite significant inotropes and an intra‐aortic balloon pump, the patient deteriorated in intensive care unit with cardiogenic shock and ventricular arrhythmia. Urgent coronary angiography revealed a rupture or torn LIMA graft with extravasation of contrast into the left pleural cavity. There was no distal LIMA to LAD flow probably due to graft thrombosis. Revascularisation was performed on the severe ostial native LAD stenosis with a drug eluting stent. The rupture graft was then stented with a polytetrafluoroethylene‐covered stent, which stopped the bleeding, and latter, led to total graft thrombosis. The patient improved significantly and supportive inotropes could be weaned down. At 11 month follow‐up, the patient had mild left ventricular dysfunction, widely patent ostial LAD stent and thrombosed LIMA graft. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Left internal mammary artery bypass dysfunction after revascularization of moderately narrowed coronary lesions. Colour-duplex ultrasound versus angiography study.

BACKGROUND: The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is the conduit of choice for revascularization of coronary arteries and its popularity further increases in the era of mini-invasive coronary surgery. The aim of this study was first, to assess the accuracy of CDUS in predicting the LIMA graft dysfunction as compared to angiography, and secondly, to correlate the postoperative status of the LIMA graft with preoperative coronary artery stenosis severity of the bridged lesion. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 111 patients (pts) by colour-duplex ultrasound after myocardial revascularization by LIMA bypass (3.8 +/- 3.2 years after revascularization). LIMA was detected from the left supraclavicular approach at rest using the 7.5 MHz linear transducer. The ultrasound results were compared to contemporaneous angiography. The LIMA bypass patency was correlated with the preoperative coronary artery stenosis severity. The LIMA was detected by ultrasound in 92.8% (103) pts. At angiography, LIMA was patent and functional in 85 pts (76.6%, group A); in 25 subjects LIMA was stenosed or dysfunctional (22.5%, group B). In one patient the coronary subclavian steal syndrome was detected (0.9%). Haemodynamically moderate stenosis (50-60% by preoperative quantitative coronary angiography) was grafted in 5 pts of group A (6%), but in 10 pts of group B (40%) (P < 0.0001 vs group A). A peak systolic to peak diastolic velocity ratio (SDVR) of <2.0 yielded optimal accuracy to detect the absence of LIMA bypass dysfunction with a negative predictive value of 95%. CONCLUSION: 1. Revascularization of angiographically moderate coronary lesions is associated with a higher risk of postoperative graft dysfunction. 2. Colour-duplex ultrasound is a useful non-invasive tool for the postoperative follow-up of pts with a LIMA graft.     

Relocation of the internal mammary artery graft in a case of coronary-subclavian steal

Reverse flow in the internal mammary artery coronary graft in the presence of subclavian stenosis is rare. We describe a 67-year-old man who 7 years after coronary artery surgery was admitted with left subclavian artery stenosis and retrograde flow in the pedicled left internal mammary artery graft. Subsequent redo triple coronary artery bypass grafts included regrafting the left internal mammary artery graft to a new vein conduit.