[Abnormal left pulmonary artery: a cause of severe newborn cardiorespiratory insufficiency]

Aberrant left pulmonary artery (vascular sling) indicates the vascular anomaly in where the left pulmonary artery arises from the right pulmonary artery, passes over the right mainstem bronchus, loops to the left and courses between the trachea and esophagus to the left hilus. Almost invariably respiratory symptoms result from compression of the trachea and right mainstem bronchus by the anomalous vessel as well as by associated tracheobronchial defects. A case is reported. The distinctive radiologic features include anterior indentation of the barium esophagogram and a characteristic pulmonary angiogram. Surgery is the only resolutive treatment for symptomatic patients, but results are often poor owing to associated intracardiac defects and intrinsic tracheobronchial anomalies.