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Diverticulum of Kommerell

Juan Calderón-Colmenero1, Luis Muñoz, José A García-Montes

  • 1Servicio de Cardiologia Pediátrica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chávez, Tlalpan, México, DF. juanecalderon@yahoo.com.mx

Archivos De Cardiologia De Mexico
|March 21, 2006
PubMed

Insights

A rare Kommerell diverticulum, a type of incomplete vascular ring, caused vomiting and stridor in an infant. Surgical treatment was successful, highlighting the importance of embryological understanding for vascular ring malformations.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Vascular rings are congenital anomalies of the aortic arch system.
  • Kommerell diverticulum is a rare variant, often associated with other cardiovascular abnormalities.
  • Symptoms in infants can include respiratory distress and feeding difficulties.

Observation:

  • An 11-month-old girl presented with vomiting and laryngeal stridor.
  • A Kommerell diverticulum was identified as the cause of the incomplete vascular ring.
  • While magnetic resonance imaging is typically preferred, cardiac catheterization defined the vascular ring structures in this case.

Findings:

  • The patient had a Kommerell diverticulum causing an incomplete vascular ring.
  • Cardiac catheterization successfully delineated the anatomy of the vascular ring.
  • Surgical intervention resulted in a successful outcome for the patient.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the diagnostic utility of cardiac catheterization in complex vascular ring cases.
  • Successful surgical management highlights the importance of timely intervention.
  • Understanding aortic arch embryology is crucial for diagnosing and managing diverse vascular ring anomalies.

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