Coronary Subclavian Steal Syndrome: A Contemporary Review

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS) is a rare cause of angina. It occurs in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting and, specifically, a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) graft and co-existent significant subclavian artery stenosis. In this context, there is retrograde blood flow through the LIMA to LAD graft to supply the subclavian artery beyond the significant stenosis. This potentially occurs at the cost of compromising coronary artery perfusion dependent on the LIMA graft. In this review, we present a case of a middle-aged female who suffered from CSSS and review the literature for the contemporary diagnosis and management of this condition.