Subclavian artery occlusion 42 years after mastectomy and radiotherapy

Left subclavian artery occlusion developed in a patient 42 years after a left radical mastectomy and radiotherapy. The vascular supply was successfully reconstructed by a graft from the right subclavian artery to the left brachial artery. Clinical and experimental evidence has demonstrated that radiotherapy can damage large vessels [2,4,5]. It is our contention that radiotherapy was the causative factor in the case of subclavian artery occlusion reported herein.