The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 72, 571-574, Copyright © 1976 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Aberrant left pulmonary artery presenting as a right paratracheal mass in an adult
JE Mayer Jr, LD Joyce, D Reinke, R McGeachie, EW Humphrey and RL Varco
Aberrant left pulmonary artery, or pulmonary sling, is a rare variation of
the pulmonary vasculature, with only one previous report of the condition
being recognized in an adult. In this report a second case recognized de
novo in an adult is presented. Both of these adults were evaluated because
of right paratracheal masses which required differentiation from pulmonary
malignancies. The barium swallow shows a characteristic indentation of the
anterior esophageal wall and the lateral tomogram demonstrates absence of
the left pulmonary artery from its normal position in the left hilum. The
pulmonary arteriogram is diagnostic and allows avoidance of more invasive
diagnostic measures.
