anyone know what suclavian steal syndrome is?
Subclavian steal phenomenon (SSP) refers to subclavian artery steno-occlusive disease proximal to the origin of the vertebral artery and is associated with flow reversal in the vertebral artery. While Contorni first described retrograde flow in the vertebral artery in 1960, Reivich in 1961 first recognized the association between this phenomenon and neurologic symptoms. Fisher dubbed this combination of retrograde vertebral flow and neurologic symptoms subclavian steal syndrome (SSS), suggesting that blood is stolen by the ipsilateral vertebral artery from the contralateral vertebral artery. It was later suggested that such “steal” may cause brainstem ischemia and stroke, either continuously or secondary to arm exercise. The term SSS should be reserved for retrograde vertebral artery flow associated with transient neurologic symptoms related to cerebral ischemia. SSP refers to retrograde flow in the vertebral artery only. First diagnosed angiographically in the early 1960s, SSS is now