[Surgical treatment of congenital vascular anomalies causing tracheoesophageal compression]

Forty four children underwent surgery for congenital vascular anomalies causing tracheal compression in Kardiocentrum--Motol during last ten years. Double aortic arch was encountered 18 times, tracheal compression by the innominate artery in 12 instances, right aortic arch with left ligamentum arteriosum and possibly aberrant left subclavian artery 7 times, pulmonary artery sling in 5, finally aberrant right subclavian artery twice. The age of the children was 2 weeks to 11 years (median 6 months). Stridor was present in 38 infants under 3 months, 17 children with severe dyspnoea had artificial ventilation or were resuscitated or hospitalized at the intensive care department. In four an associated cardiac defects was present. The diagnosis was made by oesophagography, echography, laryngotracheoscopy, in the majority of children it was confirmed by angiography of the sometime with tracheobronchography. The operation was performed in 41 children from left-sided thoracotomy, the vascular ring was released by resection or retraction of the compromising vessel and connective tissue from the trachea. Serious stenosis of the distal trachea in one patient found before operation persists one year after operation, the patient breathes through an individual tracheostomic cannula. Four children could not be extubated for prolonged periods after operation, they were re-operated, the annulus was released. Three patients died, one from bronchopneumonia during the postoperative period, the second one from hypoxic brain damage and the third one after operation of a complex heart disease. In 40 children satisfactory long-term results were achieved, the operation resolved respiratory complaints. The prerequisite of satisfactory results in an accurate diagnosis, early indication of the operation and a perfect surgical operation and good postoperative care.