Aberrant subclavian artery
Aberrant subclavian artery Case Study
A study was made way back in September 2001 by a group of radiologists in the United States. There were twelve subjects in their experiments on which CT scan and MRI were done to diagnose their conditions. All twelve cases showed compression on their airways and esophagus and aorta. This study concluded that both left and right aberrant subclavian arteries can be linked to the compression of the airways. The patterns of their compression could be different but, all the same, they both cause compression on the aforementioned anatomical parts.
Aberrant subclavian artery Causes
Dysphagia lusoria is a type of dysphagia which is caused by an abnormal subclavian artery on the right. Ortner's syndrome is known as recurring laryngeal nerve palsy. The defective right subclavian artery often occurs from an open portion of the proximal descending aorta which is also termed as Kummerel or Diverticulum. In both cases of subclavian arteries, the vessel passes behind the esophagus. An impression is made on the back portion of the esophagus by the aberrant right subclavian artery while the left subclavian artery is often the one that causes anterior dislocation and acute compression on the esophagus. The left subclavian artery often causes compression of the airways. The right aberrant artery could be linked with adult dysphagia. The left aberrant artery is the one that usually causes symptoms on the obstruction of the esophagus and airway among infants and young children.
Aberrant subclavian artery Definition
Aberrant subclavian artery is also known as the aberrant subclavian artery syndrome. This condition is a rare anatomical variety of the source of the left or the right subclavian artery. This abnormality has the most number of cases when it comes to the anomaly of inborn vascular aortic arch. The aberrant artery commonly occurs just distal on the left portion of the subclavian artery. It then passes later to the mediastinum when it is on its way to the upper right extremities. This course may be the root cause of a vascular ring about the mediastinal makeup.
Aberrant subclavian artery Diagnosis
Plain radiography that comes with barium swallow could display the impressions on the esophagus and aorta. Thoracic aortography will often demonstrate the relationship of the esophagus or tracheal arch (this works simultaneously with barium swallow) and also the source of the aberrant subclavian being the fourth primary branch of the arch in the aorta. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT scan often does definitive diagnosis. These tests show the acute condition of the narrowing airway and the retro-esophageal aberrant.