Coronary-subclavian steal syndrome treated with carotid to subclavian artery by-pass.

Coronary-subclavian steal syndrome is a rare clinical entity, which results from the atherosclerotic disease of the origin of the subclavian artery in patients in which the internal mammary artery was used as a conduit for coronary artery by-pass. This complication causes reversal of the flow in the internal mammary artery and the recurrence of myocardial ischemia. The therapeutic options are angioplasty and stent of the subclavian artery or, in a rare case of occlusion, surgical treatment. This case report describes the use of the carotid to subclavian artery by-pass for the treatment of coronary-subclavian steal syndrome due to the occlusion of the subclavian artery.