Double aortic arch: an unusual congenital variation

Abstract

Double aortic arch is a rare variation of the aortic arch that may cause tracheal and esophageal compression. Two postnatal cases of double aortic arch and their outcomes are reported. Both patients presented with stridor, repeated respiratory infections and episodes of apnea. Computerized tomography angiographic three-dimensional reconstruction revealed that in both patients, the right common carotid artery and right subclavian artery had separate origins from the right loop of the double aortic arch. The left subclavian artery and left common carotid artery arose separately from the left aortic arch. Both patients underwent corrective surgery and made an uneventful recovery.