What are the symptoms of subclavian artery stenosis?

Upper extremity symptoms include arm claudication or muscle fatigue, rest pain, and finger necrosis. Neurologic issues include vertebrobasilar hypoperfusion including visual disturbances, syncope, ataxia, vertigo, dysphasia, dysarthria, and facial sensory deficits.

What is right subclavian stenosis?

In subclavian stenosis, the artery is simply narrowed, leading to decreased blood flow beyond the area of blockage. When the subclavian blockage is severe, or if the artery is completely blocked, a condition called ‘subclavian steal’ can occur (Figure 4).

How do you ultrasound a subclavian vein?

Place the probe above the clavicle and visualize the vein. You may want to find the internal jugular vein first and trace it distally until it joins the subclavian. Position your needle tip at the center of the probe and puncture the skin, traversing the fascial planes.

What happens if the right subclavian artery is blocked?

Subclavian Steal Syndrome is a blockage of the subclavian artery which sits under the collarbone. It delivers blood to the arm and brain. The blockage causes the blood to flow in reverse. The arm “steals” blood flow from the blood which was intended for the posterior (back side) of the brain.

Is color Doppler flow imaging useful for the diagnosis of subclavian artery stenosis?

Evaluation of severe subclavian artery stenosis by color Doppler flow imaging This study evaluates the diagnostic value of the hemodynamic parameters of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) for severe (70 to 99%) subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the reference standard.

What is the prevalence of stenosis of the left subclavian artery?

About half of patients with the known peripheral arterial disease have stenosis of the left subclavian artery (30%). In patients with subclavian artery disease, half of them have coronary artery disease, and one-third have carotid or vertebral disease.

What is the role of ultrasound in the evaluation of subclavian artery disease?

Auscultation for bruits in the subclavian arteries or carotid arteries will narrow the search for any occult disease. Duplex ultrasound with color flow imaging is the noninvasive modality of choice in the evaluation of subclavian artery disease.

While some patients have symptoms, most do not. Most patients with subclavian artery stenosis do not have significant symptoms. In fact, a common presentation of subclavian artery stenosis is a blood pressure difference between arms.