[A 16-year-old patient with dysphagia]

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Thoracic Surgery
• Vascular Anatomy

Background:

• Aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is a rare congenital anomaly.
• It can cause dysphagia lusoria, a condition of esophageal compression.
• Symptomatic ARSA often requires surgical intervention.

Observation:

• A 16-year-old male presented with an 8-year history of progressive dysphagia.
• Barium swallow showed posterior extrinsic esophageal impression.
• Magnetic resonance angiography confirmed an ARSA with a retroesophageal course causing narrowing.

Findings:

• Surgical resection and bypass of the aberrant right subclavian artery were performed.
• The aberrant artery was ligated and anastomosed to the right common carotid artery.
• Postoperative assessment confirmed successful restoration of blood flow.

Implications:

• Surgical correction of symptomatic ARSA can effectively alleviate dysphagia.
• This case highlights the importance of vascular imaging in diagnosing esophageal compression.
• Successful surgical outcomes are achievable for this rare vascular anomaly.