Percutaneous angioplasty of the subclavian artery in patients with mammary-coronary bypass grafts

Severe coronary artery disease often coexists with peripheral vascular atherosclerosis. The assessment of the supra-aortic circulation in candidates for surgical coronary revascularization is of clinical relevance, and after intervention the patency of the supra-aortic trunks should be regularly evaluated in the clinical follow-up. We describe three cases of coronary artery disease treated with surgical revascularization using the internal mammary artery and concomitant atherosclerotic disease of the subclavian artery. The clinical presentation, the diagnostic procedures, and the therapeutic approach by means of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the subclavian artery are described and discussed.