Patients with Klippel-Feil syndrome should have imaging of the subclavian artery and its branches prior to coronary artery bypass grafting

Patients with Klippel-Feil syndrome have increased incidence of subclavian artery anomalies. We report a case of a patient with this syndrome undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Intra-operatively, the patient was found to have the left internal mammary artery arising from the second intercostal space and the decision was taken to use it as a free graft. As other anomalies of the subclavian arteries and their branches are recognised in patients with Klippel-Feil syndrome, we propose that imaging of the internal mammary arteries is carried out pre-operatively in such patients to assess the suitability for use as conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting.