Central retinal artery occlusion following subclavian artery stenting: a case report

Subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) frequently causes vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting is an established treatment. Periprocedural retinal embolic events are rare. Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) may lead to severe permanent vision loss. This case report describes an atypical delayed CRAO after SAS stenting and stresses the necessity of full vascular evaluation. Clinical data, diagnostic examinations and treatment of a patient with CRAO occurring 36 h after successful stenting for severe SAS were reported. The post-procedural CRAO was considered secondary to embolism derived from an unstable ipsilateral carotid plaque. Delayed CRAO is a rare complication of SAS stenting. Comprehensive pre intervention vascular screening helps detect unstable atherosclerotic plaques and prevent embolic adverse events.