[Aberrant subclavian arteries: predominance in females (author's transl)]

Thirty-five cases of aberrant subclavian artery were observed in 1408 consecutive necropsies on fetuses, newborns, infants and children; the autopsies were performed by the same pathologist. The right subclavian artery was found to be involved in 32 cases, the left subclavian artery in 3 cases. The artery always passed behind the esophagus. In 12 of the cases, the aberrant subclavian artery occurred as an isolated anomaly. In the remainder of the cases the aberrant subclavian artery was associated with malformations of the heart and the great vessels; coexistent extracardial defects were also noted. Of the 35 cases 13 were males and 22 females. In reviewing the literature a series of 431 cases is presented. Of these cases the aberrant subclavian artery occurred in 177 males and 254 females. The predominance in females is statistically established.