Double Aortic Arch - A Case Report

Abstract

Double Aortic Arch is a rare congenital cardiovascular anomaly. Its first successful surgery was performed by Robert Gross in 1945 at Children Hospital Boston, USA. It accounts for 0.4 to 1% of all congenital cardiac defects. Patients having a Double Aortic Arch mostly present with symptoms in the 1st week of life but depending upon the severity of symptoms can present at any age in childhood. We present a case report of two month old baby with noisy breathing, intermittent cough, gross jugular notch retraction and sub costal recession. His Cardiac CT was subsequently done which showed a Double Aortic Arch of left dominant variety encircling the trachea. Surgery was done and the encircling artery compressing the trachea was recognized, dissected and interrupted. Marked relief of tracheal and/or esophageal compression was evident from operation day. Post operative recovery was speedy. Patient’s follow up of was done at 1, 4 and 24 weeks. His recovery was unremarkable. Currently he was thriving well.