Assessment of children with vascular ring

Vascular rings may cause pressure on the trachea and/or esophagus of varying degree, resulting in symptoms. This study assessed the presentation symptoms, diagnostic methods and treatment results after surgery in children with vascular ring.

Symptomatic vascular ring patients undergoing surgery between January 2010 and August 2014 at Mehmet Akif Ersoy Cardiovascular Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, were retrospectively assessed. The presentation symptoms, demographic characteristics, and diagnostic tests were evaluated. Operative data and postoperative follow up, complications and problems were also examined in detail.

Twenty-one patients underwent surgery, 13 (63%) of whom were male. Median age was 12 months (range, 1 month-8 years). Among these patients, 62% (n = 13) had double aortic arch, 24% (n = 5) had right-sided aortic arch + ligamentum arteriosum, 10% (n = 2) had left-sided aortic arch + aberrant right subclavian artery, and 4% (n = 1) had pulmonary sling abnormality. Computed tomography (CT) angiography was performed in 17/21 patients. All the patients were successfully operated on. In the early postoperative period, two patients had chylothorax and one had nerve paralysis of nervus laryngeus recurrens. One patient died in the early period, and two patients had ongoing stridor on follow up.

CT angiography is effective for the differential diagnosis and visualization of vascular ring abnormality. In such cases, full recovery can be assured with early diagnosis and surgery.