title: Bilateral subclavian steal associated with severe coarctation of the thoracic aorta and an aberrant right subclavian artery.
abstract: A 10-year-old girl having bilateral subclavian steal associated with severe coarctation of the thoracic aorta and an aberrant right subclavian artery was found, on admission, to have no difference between upper and lower extremity blood pressure, but echocardiography revealed severe thoracic aorta coarctation and systolic blood pressure in the carotid arteries exceeding 200 mmHg estimated by Doppler ultrasonography. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography demonstrated bilateral subclavian steal without esophageal compression. We reconstructed the aortic arch using the left subclavian artery and a reversed Blalock-Park procedure, then repaired the coarctation with a 14 mm woven double velor vascular graft. The girl was symptom-free following uncomplicated recovery from surgery. Doppler ultrasonography 2 weeks after surgery showed the pressure gradient across the aortic arch had decreased from 180 mmHg to 60 mmHg. This residual gradient at the anastomosis between the ascending aorta and left subclavian artery may improve as native vessels grow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Nagasaki Medical Center, Omura, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamawaki
authors.forename: Motoharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Narimatsu
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Katsuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Kiyoyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eishi
mesh_terms: D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013349:Subclavian Steal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*