Right Aortic Arch With Kommerell Diverticulum: A Rare Cause of Dysphagia

Dysphagia is a common condition with multiple causes. Fortunately, a thorough evaluation will often lead to a correct diagnosis, even when the cause is a rare entity. A right aortic arch with associated aberrant left subclavian artery is an uncommon anatomical variant. Physicians involved in the management of dysphagia should be aware of vascular anomalies that can cause dysphagia.

We report a case of a young patient who presented with dysphagia caused by a right aortic arch, aberrant left subclavian artery, and associated Kommerell diverticulum, a remnant of the left dorsal arch.

Kommerell diverticulum, a remnant of the left dorsal arch, is a rare cause of dysphagia. However, vascular causes should be considered in the algorithm when evaluating patients who present with dysphagia, especially when there is compression of the esophagus noted on imaging or examination.