[Asymptomatic pulmonary artery sling: Noninvasive diagnosis]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Pulmonary artery sling (PAS) is a rare congenital vascular ring anomaly.
• It involves the anomalous origin of the left pulmonary artery from the right pulmonary artery, encircling the trachea.
• Clinical outcomes are often severe, with respiratory symptoms and high mortality in infants.

Observation:

• Presents a rare case of a 3-year-old girl with asymptomatic pulmonary artery sling.
• The patient had no associated congenital heart disease.
• Diagnosis was achieved through non-invasive echocardiography and tomography.

Findings:

• Pulmonary artery sling can present atypically in older children without cardiac comorbidities.
• Non-invasive imaging modalities are effective for diagnosing this rare vascular anomaly.
• Early diagnosis is crucial for timely intervention, even in asymptomatic cases.

Implications:

• This case expands the understanding of the clinical spectrum of pulmonary artery sling.
• Highlights the importance of considering rare diagnoses even in asymptomatic patients.
• Emphasizes the utility of advanced non-invasive imaging in pediatric cardiovascular assessment.