Robotic resection of aberrant right subclavian artery for dysphagia lusoria: a case report

Aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSCA) is a congenital anomaly of the aortic arch where the aberrant artery arises from the descending aorta and traverses the mediastinum, compressing the esophagus in the process. We present a case of a 16-year-old boy who presented with worsening dysphagia of 1 year duration. He was diagnosed with ARSCA causing mass effect on the esophagus. He underwent a simultaneous right common carotid (RCC) to right subclavian artery (RSCA) bypass with an 8-mm polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) ringed graft and robot (Da Vinci system)-assisted division of the aberrant artery. He had an uneventful postoperative period, without any complications, and was discharged after 4 days with complete resolution of his symptoms. This case report highlights that the robotic approach is safe and effective, with benefits of minimally invasive surgery like better precision, faster recovery, and return to daily activity post-surgery.