open access

Vol 65, No 3 (2006)
Case report
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2006-06-08
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A retrotracheal right subclavian artery in association with a vertebral artery and thyroidea ima

M. Loukas, R.G. Louis Jr., J. Gaspard, M. Fudalej, R.S. Tubbs, W. Merbs
Folia Morphol 2006;65(3):236-241.

open access

Vol 65, No 3 (2006)
CASE REPORTS
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2006-06-08

Abstract

The retro-oesophageal right subclavian artery is an anatomical abnormality encountered by anatomists and pathologists and, more recently, interventional cardiologists and thoracic surgeons with an incidence of 0.2-2% in the population. We report a case of a retrotracheal right subclavian artery which originated distally along the left aortic arch and coursed between the trachea and the oesophagus. Additionally, the aortic arch gave rise to a common trunk, which subsequently bifurcated to yield to a right vertebral artery and a left thyroidea ima, replacing the left inferior thyroid artery. Consequently the right and the left recurrent laryngeal nerves were found to recur normally. The possible embryonic development of these branching patterns and their clinical significance is discussed.

Abstract

The retro-oesophageal right subclavian artery is an anatomical abnormality encountered by anatomists and pathologists and, more recently, interventional cardiologists and thoracic surgeons with an incidence of 0.2-2% in the population. We report a case of a retrotracheal right subclavian artery which originated distally along the left aortic arch and coursed between the trachea and the oesophagus. Additionally, the aortic arch gave rise to a common trunk, which subsequently bifurcated to yield to a right vertebral artery and a left thyroidea ima, replacing the left inferior thyroid artery. Consequently the right and the left recurrent laryngeal nerves were found to recur normally. The possible embryonic development of these branching patterns and their clinical significance is discussed.
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Keywords

retro-oesophageal right subclavian artery; retrotracheal course; aortic arch; coronary angiography; recurrent laryngeal nerve; vertebral artery; thyroidea ima

About this article
Title

A retrotracheal right subclavian artery in association with a vertebral artery and thyroidea ima

Journal

Folia Morphologica

Issue

Vol 65, No 3 (2006)

Article type

Case report

Pages

236-241

Published online

2006-06-08

Page views

596

Article views/downloads

1696

Bibliographic record

Folia Morphol 2006;65(3):236-241.

Keywords

retro-oesophageal right subclavian artery
retrotracheal course
aortic arch
coronary angiography
recurrent laryngeal nerve
vertebral artery
thyroidea ima

Authors

M. Loukas
R.G. Louis Jr.
J. Gaspard
M. Fudalej
R.S. Tubbs
W. Merbs

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