Case report: persistent double dorsal aorta

Area of Science:

• Vascular anatomy
• Embryology
• Congenital anomalies

Background:

• Persistent double dorsal aorta is an exceptionally rare congenital anomaly.
• Only 13 cases have been documented in existing literature.

Observation:

• This study details an embryological variant of the abdominal aorta.
• The observation was made in a 79-year-old male patient presenting with critical limb ischemia.
• The anomaly was identified via angiotomography.

Findings:

• Complete separation of the abdominal aorta into ventral and dorsal portions at the L3 vertebral level.
• The two aortic portions exhibited different calibers.
• An anomalous origin of the inferior mesenteric artery was also noted.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of recognizing rare vascular variations in clinical practice.
• Contributes to the limited case series of persistent double dorsal aorta.
• May inform diagnostic approaches for patients with unexplained limb ischemia.