The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 75, 237-243, Copyright © 1978 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Surgical repair of right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery and left ligamentum arteriosum
JY Jung, CH Almond, SB Saab and Z Lababidi
Five cases of right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery and
left ligamentum arteriosum, with or without Kommerell's diverticulum, are
presented. Either right or left thoracotomy with divesion of the aberrant
retroesophageal left subclavian artery can be accomplished with good
results. However, a right thoracotomy is recommended in the presence of a
large Kommerell diverticulum because such a diverticulum should be excised.
The development of a subclavian steal syndrome later in life may be
prevented by reimplantation of the divided left subclavian artery into the
aorta or the left common carotid artery.