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Arm ischemia secondary to giant cell arteritis
D P Halpin1, K T Moran, E R Jewell
1Section of Peripheral Vascular Surgery, Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts 01805.
Annals of Vascular Surgery
|October 1, 1988
Summary
Severe arterial ischemia from arteritis may necessitate bypass surgery if steroids fail. This case highlights successful steroid therapy and arterial reconstructive surgery for bilateral subclavian artery occlusion in giant cell arteritis.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Rheumatology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Giant cell arteritis (GCA) can cause severe arterial ischemia.
- Steroid therapy is the mainstay for GCA, but may not resolve all ischemic symptoms.
Observation:
- A patient presented with bilateral subclavian artery occlusion due to GCA.
- Ischemic symptoms persisted despite a significant drop in erythrocyte sedimentation rate with steroid treatment.
Findings:
- The patient received a combination of steroid therapy and arterial reconstructive surgery.
- Successful surgical intervention restored arterial blood flow and resolved ischemic symptoms.
Implications:
- Arterial bypass surgery is a viable option for refractory arterial ischemia in GCA.
- This approach can lead to long-term positive outcomes for patients with GCA-related arterial complications.