Efficacy of axillary-axillary bypass grafting for the subclavian artery disease

Axillary-axillary bypass procedure was performed in 5 patients (3: atherosclerosis, 1: rupture of aortic arch aneurysm, 1: trauma) with the total occlusion of the subclavian artery. All the operations were performed with 6 mm ringed expanded polytetrafluoroethylene under general anesthesia. Though several types of extrathoracic procedures such as carotid-subclavian bypass, subclavian-subclavian bypass and axillary-axillary bypass are introduced, the efficacy of axillary-axillary bypass procedure is greater ease of anatomic exposure with no concern of interfering with the carotid circulation. The type of bypass to be used in a given case will depend on the individual circumstances. We suggest that this procedure is minimally invasive as well as effective for subclavian artery occlusion depending on the case.