[Rupture of a retro-esophageal diverticulum on a right aortic arch. Apropos of a case]

Right aortic arch with retro-oesophageal left subclavian artery usually is an asymptomatic vascular abnormality. The evolutive potential of the associated retro-oesophageal diverticulum is unknown. Complications caused by the malformation are rare, but they may be extremely severe. A case of ruptured diverticulum in an adult patient is reported. The vascular abnormality, as well as the rupture, were confirmed by computerized tomography (CT) and angiography. Complications of retro-oesophageal diverticula are due to these formations being transformed into aneurysms, with compression of the oesophagus, dissection of the aorta or rupture. Such accidents raise the problems of detection of the abnormality, long-term surveillance of the diverticulum (facilitated by CT) and decision to be made when signs of transformation develop (resection of the diverticulum under extracorporeal circulation).