Treatment Of Subclavian Artery Stenosis Research Articles

Endovascular Treatment for Subclavian Artery Stenosis and Occlusion: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Subclavian artery stenosis and occlusion are common arterial diseases in the upper extremities, with atherosclerosis being the main cause. Endovascular treatment has emerged as a promising alternative to open surgical repair, but data are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of endovascular procedures in the treatment of subclavian artery lesions at a tertiary vascular center in Vietnam. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent endovascular treatment for symptomatic subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion between October 2013 and April 2022. Clinical characteristics, procedural details, short- and long-term outcomes, and patency rates were assessed. Twenty-five patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 56.8 years. The majority of patients had risk factors for atherosclerosis, and all presented with symptoms related to subclavian artery disease. The endovascular procedures were successful in 96% of cases, with a low complication rate of 8%. During a median follow-up of 43 months, the overall patency rate was 92% at three years. Endovascular treatment of subclavian artery stenosis and occlusion is a safe and effective option, with excellent long-term patency rates. These findings support the use of percutaneous revascularization as the first-line therapy, particularly in experienced centers. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these results.

Endovascular treatment of subclavian artery stenosis

The most common localizations for upper extremity atherosclerosis are the subclavian artery and the brachiocephalic trunk. Significant stenosis of the subclavian artery occurs in 2% of the population and in 7-11% of patients with manifest cardiovascular disease. Revascularization is indicated in symptomatic or asymptomatic patients with coronary disease with planned surgical revascularization. In addition to atherosclerosis, other causes of the appearance of subclavian artery stenosis include dissection, radiation-induced inflammation of the fibromusculature, and various vasculities, especially Takayasu arteritis. The left subclavian artery is about four times more commonly affected than the right. It usually occurs over the age of 50 years and in 1.5-2 times more common in men than in women. Disease of the subclavian artery is usually focal and the lesion is predominantly in the first 2 cm proximal to the origin of the aorta. Between 2016-2021 in the clinic of cardiology and angiology we treated endovascularly 81 patients (41 men and 40 females, median age 64 ± 11) with either intraluminal balloon dilatation and/or primary stent implantation followed by balloon post dilatation. We achieved a high technical success rate (93.8%) and immediate clinical success, with only a few minor complications. 

TCT-567 Outcomes of Covered Versus Bare Metal Stents in the Treatment of Subclavian Artery Stenosis

TCT-567 Outcomes of Covered Versus Bare Metal Stents in the Treatment of Subclavian Artery Stenosis

Results of Transradial Subclavian Artery Percutaneous Interventions After Bilateral or Single Access

Percutaneous treatment of subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion has become more popular compared with surgical correction. We compared the early and late results of subclavian artery stenting with bilateral or single transradial access. From 2010 to 2015, we recruited 54 consecutive patients. In 35 cases, we used bilateral access, and in 19 cases, ipsilateral single access was used. Left subclavian artery was the culprit vessel in 72% of cases. There were more chronic total occlusions in the bilateral group (77% vs 21%, p= 0.0001). Transradial-only approach was used in all cases, except in 2 cases in the bilateral group where crossover to femoral access was required. Stents were implanted in 94% in bilateral group and 84% in single group (p= 0.47). Procedure duration (40 [35 to 60] vs 20 [15 to 30] minutes), contrast volume (200 [200 to 350] vs 150 [100 to 200] ml and fluoroscopy time (20 [12 to 30] vs 8 [4 to 11] minutes) were higher in bilateral group (all p values <0.0001). Procedural success was 96%. Overall, we observed three <5-cm hematomas and 3 asymptomatic radial artery occlusions at hospital discharge. After successful procedure, blood pressure equalized in 94% in bilateral group and 100% in single group (p= 0.54). Major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event-free survival up to 5years was 97% in bilateral group compared with 84% in single group (p= 0.12). Subclavian artery patency at late follow-up was 91% in bilateral group and 95% in single group (p= 1.00). Using single or bilateral transradial approach, subclavian artery lesions or occlusions can be effectively and safely treated without the risks of femoral or brachial access.

Angioplasty Alone Versus Angioplasty and Stenting for Subclavian Artery Stenosis—A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Subclavian artery stenosis has long been treated with great success with bypass surgery. Percutaneous intervention, often used in combination with stent placement, has come into vogue for the past few years as a safe and effective therapeutic modality. This study aimed to compare angioplasty alone with angioplasty followed by stent placement by combining available data. The objective of this study was to perform a review of the available literature to compare the efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) alone with PTA followed by stent placement for proximal subclavian artery stenosis. Successful recanalization was defined as patency at the end of 1 year, and reocclusions and restenoses were noted as events for the purpose of pooling the data. The authors searched the Specialized Register and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases for relevant trials/studies comparing PTA and PTA with stenting. Review authors independently assessed the methodological quality of studies (focusing on the adequacy of the randomization process, allocation concealment, blinding, completeness of follow-up, and intention-to-treat analysis) and selected studies for inclusion. All retrospective observational studies were also included in the analysis in the absence of double-blinded randomized trials for increasing sample size. All analyses were done using RevMan 5.0. Odds ratio was calculated using Mantel-Haenszel test with a fixed effect model. All included studies were assessed by all authors for potential sources of bias. Eight studies were included in the analysis having 544 participants. Stenting after PTA was significantly superior to angioplasty alone for treatment of subclavian artery stenosis and maintenance of patency at 1 year, as indicated by absence of events (P = 0.004; 95% confidence interval, odds ratio 2.37 [1.32-4.26]) without significant complication rates for either procedure. There is evidence in favor of stent placement after angioplasty for successful recanalization of stenosed subclavian arteries and long-term maintenance of patency without significant increase in risk for major complications in subjects.

Endovascular treatment of subclavian artery stenosis associated with vertebral artery pseudoaneurysm

The frequency of radiologically demonstrable subclavian or innominate artery stenosis is approximately up to 17%. Of these, 2.5% have angiographic flow reversal in vertebral artery. Only 5.3% of those with angiographic steal have neurologic symptoms [3]. Treatment is indicated only in this small percentage of symptomatic patients. The symptoms are induced by exercise or exertion using the arm ipsilateral to stenosis. We describe a case with concurrent right vertebral artery (VA) pseudoaneurysm and left subclavian artery (SCA) stenosis, where the pattern of symptoms was suggestive of embolic etiology rather than exercise induced. An unusual presentation of SCA stenosis is highlighted, that resolved with endovascular intervention. The management in the presence of concurrent VA pseudoaneurysm is briefly discussed.

Subclavian artery stenosis causing transient bilateral brachial diplegia: an unusual cause of anterior spinal artery syndrome

The author report a case of a 74-year-old man who had presented with transient bilateral brachial diplegia. Investigations led to the diagnosis and treatment of subclavian artery stenosis. There are no known published cases of subclavian artery stenosis associated with transient bilateral arm weakness, and the authors believe that a steal phenomenon leading to vertebrobasilar artery insufficiency and subsequent anterior spinal artery insufficiency may have caused these symptoms, which resolved after correction of the patient's stenosis.

左鎖骨下動脈血管拡張術により順行性血流が回復したLITA-LADグラフトの 1 例

左鎖骨下動脈血管拡張術により順行性血流が回復したLITA-LADグラフトの 1 例

The Role of Multi-slice Spiral CT Angiography in Patient Management After Endovascular Therapy

To bring out the role of multi-slice spiral CT angiography (MS-CTA) in patient management after endovascular therapy of subclavian artery stenosis. Twenty-one consecutive patients with clinically suspected restenosis after endovascular treatment of subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion were included in the study. Eleven patients had been treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) alone and 10 with PTA and stenting. The mean follow-up period after PTA or stenting was 57 (+/-27 SD) months. CTA was performed using a bolus-triggered high-resolution protocol with biphasic intravenous contrast medium injection. Axial images and curved planar reformations (CPRs) were rated by three readers with regard to patency of supra-aortic vessels. Imaging findings were correlated with a standardized clinical assessment. All examinations were of diagnostic quality. Of 21 referred patients, 7 had significant reobstruction of the treated subclavian artery. Six of the 7 patients with significant restenosis on CTA were treated conservatively (antiplatelet agents), despite 2 of them being symptomatic on the standardized clinical assessment, which showed a sensitivity and specificity of 86% in predicting stenosis. One patient was treated with PTA and stent deployment because of strong subjective suffering. MS-CTA is useful for exclusion or quantification of clinically suspected restenosis in carefully selected patients after endovascular therapy where ultrasound is inconclusive and/or contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography is contraindicated.

Endovascular therapy in prevention and management of coronary-subclavian steal.

The optimal management of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) who have proximal subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) is not well established. SAS may lead to flow reversal through a patent in situ internal mammary artery graft, resulting in myocardial ischemia (coronary-subclavian steal). We review our experience in prevention and management of coronary-subclavian steal. The medical records of patients who received treatment of symptomatic coronary-subclavian steal were reviewed. Patients who underwent subclavian artery revascularization before CABG were also included in our review. Patient demographic data, findings at presentation, imaging and treatment methods, and short-term and intermediate-term results were analyzed. Over 4 years, 14 patients with combined subclavian and coronary artery disease were identified. Nine patients had angina (n = 8) and/or congestive heart failure (n = 2) after CABG (post-CABG group). Four patients underwent treatment of SAS and one underwent treatment of recurrent stenosis before or during CABG (pre-CABG group). Among this pre-CABG group, one patient had symptoms of left arm claudication; the other four patients had no symptoms. A blood pressure gradient was commonly noted between both arms. An angiogram confirmed the proximal location of SAS in all patients, and established the presence of flow reversal in a patent internal mammary artery graft in the post-CABG group. Operative management consisted of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stenting of the subclavian lesion in 11 patients, PTA only in 2 patients, and carotid-subclavian bypass grafting in 1 patient. No known perioperative complications or morbidity was encountered in either group. Mean follow-up was 29 months, during which stenosis recurred in two patients, along with associated cardiac symptoms. In both patients repeat angioplasty was successful, for an assisted primary patency rate of 100%. PTA and stenting to treat SAS appears to provide effective protection from and treatment of coronary-subclavian steal over the short and intermediate terms. A surveillance program is essential because of the risk for recurrent stenosis. Continued follow-up is necessary to determine long-term efficacy of this treatment compared with more conventional surgical approaches.

Axilloaxillary Bypass for the Treatment of Subclavian Artery Stenosis Complicated by Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion: Technical Case Report

We successfully treated a patient with stenosis of the left subclavian artery, complicated by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, via axilloaxillary bypass surgery. A 67-year-old patient with a history of hypertension and cerebral infarction underwent neck irradiation for treatment of a vocal cord tumor. Three months later, he began to experience transient tetraparesis several times per day. The blood pressure measurements for his right and left arms were different. Supratentorial blood flow was markedly low. The common carotid arteries were bilaterally occluded, and the right vertebral artery was hypoplastic. Therefore, only the left vertebral artery contributed to the patient's cerebral circulation; his left subclavian artery was severely stenotic. The patient underwent axilloaxillary bypass surgery because the procedure avoids thoracotomy or sternotomy, manipulation of the carotid artery, and interruption of the vertebral artery blood flow. The patient has been free of symptoms for more than 5 years. Neurosurgeons should be aware that extra-anatomic bypass surgery is an effective treatment option for selected patients with cerebral ischemia.

Transluminal angioplasty of the subclavian artery in patients with internal mammary grafts

From January 1987 to January 1992, 11 patients underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for the treatment of subclavian artery stenosis before or after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using the internal mammary artery (IMA). There were 8 men and 3 women, with a mean age of 57 ± 7 years. Four patients had PTA 1 to 4 months before undergoing CABG with IMA grafts, because of either asymptomatic supraclavicular murmurs or neurologic symptoms. Seven patients underwent PTA 2 to 37 months after CABG with IMA grafts, because of recurrent angina. Subclavian artery stenosis was on the left side in 9 patients, the right side in 1 patient, and bilateral in 1 patient. Ten PTA procedures were successful in 9 patients. All patients with post-CABG angina had reversal of the ischemia. There were three complications: one femoral artery thrombosis, one brachial plexus hematoma after an axillary approach, and one acute pulmonary edema after the procedure. Follow-up after PTA ranged from 1 to 60 months (mean, 38 ± 17 months). Nine patients had no angina at follow-up and 2 had stable angina (class II) upon exertion. Upper-limb Doppler studies showed no evidence of restenosis in any of these patients at a mean follow-up of 38 months. Subclavian artery PTA is a useful alternative to IMA bypass grafting in patients with subclavian artery stenosis discovered preoperatively, and it is the treatment of choice for those presenting with post-CABG angina due to subclavian artery stenosis proximal to an IMA graft.

Subclavian Artery Angioplasty for Treatment of Coronary Artery Steal Syndrome

Three patients underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for treatment of subclavian artery stenosis producing the coronary artery steal syndrome. Technical success and immediate relief of angina were achieved in all three patients. Clinical follow-up ranged from 4 to 16 months. One patient developed clinical evidence of restenosis. Subclavian artery angioplasty may be a safe and efficacious technique for the treatment of the coronary artery steal syndrome.