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Infant With Recurrent Vomiting and Poor Weight Gain Secondary to an Aberrant Subclavian Artery
John Dugas1, Amber Vozar1, Seth J Deskins2
1Pediatrics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA.
Insights
Failure to thrive (FTT) in infants can stem from various causes. This case shows how esophageal compression by an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) led to poor weight gain and vomiting.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Congenital Cardiovascular Anomalies
Background:
- Failure to thrive (FTT) describes inadequate weight gain in infants.
- While often linked to poor caloric intake, FTT can result from complex underlying conditions.
Observation:
- An infant presented with persistent large-volume emesis and failure to thrive.
- The infant exhibited symptoms suggestive of an obstructive process in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Findings:
- Esophageal compression due to an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) was identified as the cause.
- This vascular anomaly led to significant feeding difficulties and subsequent undernutrition.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering vascular anomalies in diagnosing FTT with emesis.
- Underscores the need for thorough diagnostic workups to identify rare etiologies of pediatric undernutrition.
- Suggests that early diagnosis and management of ARSA can prevent severe FTT and its complications.
Abstract:
Failure to thrive (FTT) is a term commonly used to characterize slower-than-expected weight gain. While inadequate caloric intake is the predominant cause, failure to thrive is a manifestation of undernutrition often resulting from the interplay of multiple etiologies. This case highlights the diagnosis and management of an infant who presented with recurrent large-volume emesis and poor weight gain secondary to esophageal compression from an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA).
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