Abstract
Between 1981 and 1997, 25 patients underwent operations for relief of tracheoesophageal compression due to vascular rings. Seventeen patients (68%) had a double aortic arch, 6 (24%) had a right aortic arch with an anomalous left subclavian artery and ligamentum arteriosum, and 2 (8%) had a left aortic arch with an anomalous right subclavian artery arising from a Kommerell's diverticulum. Preoperative symptoms consisted of stridor and dysphagia. Four patients (16%) were ventilator-dependent prior to surgery. After division of the vascular ring, wide dissection of the superior mediastinal structures was performed to prevent any compression of the trachea or esophagus. There were no early deaths. Ventilatory support was necessary for a mean of 48 ± 8 hours. One patient required reintubation for 24 hours due to persistent left lower lobe atelectasis. During late follow-up, 2 patients (8%) had recurrent pneumonia, and there were 2 deaths. Surgical repair of vascular rings provided excellent early and late results. The index of suspicion of these aortic arch anomalies should increase if an infant or young child presents with a history of recurrent stridor, dysphagia, or respiratory distress that is not easily explained.
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