[Aneurysms of the subclavian artery: clinical experience]

The aneurysm of the subclavian artery is not common. The authors present three cases of aneurysms of the subclavian artery of which two cases already were in phase of complication for rupture. Two Patients underwent intervention of by-pass with Dacron prosthesis: between common carotid and axillary artery in one and between common carotid and distal head of the subclavian artery in the other. In a Patient with post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the subclavian artery was not possible to perform any intervention of direct reconstruction because of the precarious clinical conditions due to the hemorrhage for rupture and we performed only a resection of the aneurysm with binding of the subclavian artery. A Patient died two months after the operation for respiratory failure due to bronchial pneumonia; two Patients are still living, one with a moderate motor deficit of the upper limb. The rupture of the arteriosclerotic aneurysms of the subclavian artery is not frequent, but the gravity of this complication recommends the surgical treatment also in the asymptomatic cases if the clinical conditions of the Patient allow it.