Anatomical variations of aortic arch vessels in Japanese patients with aortic arch disease

The present study analyzed the prevalence of variations of the aortic arch branching in Japanese population, comparing patients with aortic arch disease with healthy controls.

Between from October 1999 and December 2015, 815 Japanese patients with aortic arch disease defined as aortic arch aneurysm (diameter ≥ 45 mm) and aortic dissection (group A) underwent aortic arch surgery in our institution. As a control group, 1506 traumatic screened patients were enrolled (group C).

Aortic arch anomaly was diagnosed in 140 patients (17.2%) in the group A and in 222 patients (14.7%) in the group C (p = 0.125). Significant differences were found in the incidence of aberrant subclavian artery (A: 14 patients, 1.7%, vs. C: 8 patients, 0.5%, p = 0.006). Significantly more patients with aortic arch aneurysm in the group A had anomalies of the aortic arch compared with the group C (p = 0.009), including bovine aortic arch (p = 0.049) and aberrant subclavian artery (p < 0.001). In term of aneurysm location, bovine arch was detected in more patients with proximal arch aneurysm (15.7%, p = 0.043), whereas aberrant subclavian artery was in more patients with distal location (3.7%, p < 0.001). No difference was found in aortic arch anomaly in patients with acute or chronic dissection.

Aberrant subclavian artery was a significant maker of aortic arch disease in Japanese populations. Bovine arch was a risk maker of proximal arch aneurysm, and aberrant subclavian artery was a risk factor of distal arch aneurysm.