Surgery for Dysphagia Lusoria in Children

Aberrant right subclavian artery, or arteria lusoria, is a common congenital anomaly of the aortic arch and may be associated with dysphagia. Surgical treatment, particularly in children, remains controversial. Current surgical interventions include supraclavicular and thoracotomy approaches, as well as hybrid endovascular techniques. However, these techniques have significant limitations and varying degrees of success. This case report describes a 2-site operation whereby the arteria lusoria is transected via a left thoracotomy and subsequently re-implanted into the right common carotid artery via a median sternotomy. This approach has provided complete symptom resolution for dysphagia lusoria in 2 children.