Treatment of microemboli of the upper extremity.

A patient with microembolism of the left hand from an ulcerated lesion in the proximal part of the left subclavian artery was treated by a simple procedure for removing the embolic source from the arterial circulation. Through a supraclavicular approach, the subclavian artery was divided from the aorta distal to the lesion and anastomosed to the left common carotid artery. This technique was effective not only in restoring unobstructed distal circulation but also in avoiding the use of the more complicated thoracotomy.