Arteria lusoria as a cause of dysphagia

Abstract

Aberrant right subclavian artery is a rare vascular anomaly. Dysphagia caused by this anomaly usually develops in older patients due to increased rigidity of the oesophagus itself or vessel wall and elongation of the aorta. In this paper, a 10-year-old boy patient suffering from difficulty in swallowing since his infancy is presented. Barium contrast examination of the oesophagus showed indentation on the oesophagus and MRI angiography revealed an aberrant right subclavian artery. Surgical correction totally relieved the symptom of the dysphagia. It was concluded that this kind of vascular anomalies should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia in childhood.

Key Words:

• dysphagia
• arteria lusoria
• childhood