Stenting for Left Subclavian Artery Stenosis before and after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Using the Internal Mammary Artery: A Report of Three Cases.

SUMMARY: Stenosis of the subclavian artery proximal to the origin of the internal mammary artery (IMA) used for coronary artery bypass grafting may produce flow reversal (steal syndrome) and cause myocardial ischemia. We present three cases of subclavian artery stenosis proximal to the IMA before and after CABG. The first case developed symptomatic myocardial ischemia resulting from a variant of coronary-subclavian steal syndrome. The second case had asymptomatic subclavian artery stenosis proximal to the IMA used for CABG. In the third case we planned to perform CABG using the left IMA to treat cardiac ischemia. All of the patients were successfully treated by stent placement without the use of a protection device. In the first and second cases, cardiac ischemia did not appear during balloon inflation of the subclavian artery and no embolic complication occurred. In the third case, CABG was performed six months after stenting. Subclavian artery stenting is a valid alternative to surgical treatment to restore the flow to the IMA before or after CABG.

Traumatic bilateral common carotid artery dissection due to strangulation. A case report.

SUMMARY: We report a case of bilateral common carotid artery dissection due to strangulation successfully treated by stent placement, with a review of the literature. A 61-year-old woman was strangled by an apron strap. She was admitted to our hospital with tetraparesis, because of spinal cord injury. On the next day, her left hemiparesis aggravated and left facial palsy newly appeared. Diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed new ischemic lesions in the right cerebral hemisphere. Aortography revealed bilateral common carotid artery dissection. Moreover, thrombus or intimal flap was recognized in the right common carotid artery. The right common carotid dissection was fixed with deployment of self expanding stents to prevent the aggravation of ischemic stroke at that time. The contralateral lesion was also treated ten days later because small ischemic lesions were newly recognized in the left hemisphere on MRI. No new neurological deficit appeared after bilateral carotid artery stenting. Her paraparesis completely improved two months after the spinal cord injury. Carotid artery stenting using self expanding stents was especially effective as the treatment for bilateral carotid artery dissection.