Co-existence of patent ductus arteriosus and left brachiocephalic artery: a case report

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) may exist with other cardiovascular anomalies, which must be considered at the time of diagnosis. We report a rare co-existence of PDA and a variant of aortic arch branching pattern in a 12-year old Tanzanian female patient during surgery to close a PDA. In this case, the 'left brachiocephalic trunk' was seen to arise from the arch of aorta distal to the origin of the right brachiocephalic trunk. We discuss the relevant literature, its potential embryologic development and clinical significance.