Subclavian to carotid artery bypass for a case of ocular ischemic syndrome

Ocular Ischemic Syndrome (OIS) is a rare, vision threatening condition associated with severe carotid artery disease. There are few cases of OIS reported in the literature.

We present the case of a 54-year-old male with history of multiple previous carotid interventions including a right carotid stent, who presented with right-sided OIS.

CTA and angiogram showed a severe calcific plaque causing restenosis of the right carotid stent, with a patent right internal carotid artery (ICA) in the very distal neck. The right common carotid artery (CCA) was patent but diseased with ulcerated plaque extending proximally to below the level of the clavicle. The left CCA was chronically occluded from its origin all the way to the bifurcation. Given our patient's surgical history, the imperative to revascularize the ipsilateral carotid, and a diffusely diseased ipsilateral CCA, he was successfully treated with an ipsilateral subclavian to internal carotid bypass.

There is paucity of data regarding the best approach for carotid revascularization in OIS. This case report discusses our unique perioperative decision making as well as relevant literature.