Childhood presentation of interrupted aortic arch with persistent carotid ducts

Somjate Suntratonpipat1, Simon D Bamforth2, Amy-Leigh Johnson2

  • 1Stollery Children's Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Insights

Interrupted aortic arch typically presents in infancy. This rare case highlights unusual childhood presentation with intact ventricular septum and persistent carotid ducts, visualized by cardiac MRI.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is a rare congenital heart defect.
  • Typical presentation occurs in early infancy due to reliance on the arterial duct.
  • Most IAA cases involve intracardiac anomalies like ventricular septal defects.

Observation:

  • This study reports an uncommon childhood presentation of IAA.
  • The patient presented with an intact ventricular septum.
  • Unusual bilateral collateral arteries, consistent with persistent carotid ducts, were observed.

Findings:

  • Cardiac MRI angiography with 3D reconstruction precisely located the aortic arch interruption.
  • The imaging delineated the extensive collateral circulation, including the persistent carotid ducts.
  • This case demonstrates a unique collateral pathway in IAA.

Implications:

  • Childhood presentation of IAA suggests significant collateral circulation development.
  • Persistent carotid ducts represent an unusual collateral pathway in IAA.
  • Cardiac MRI is crucial for defining complex aortic arch anatomy and collateral networks in rare pediatric cardiovascular conditions.

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