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An aberrant right subclavian artery in a 63-year-old male cadaver
Affiliations- Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
open access
Abstract
An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA), also called “arteria lusoria”, is described
as a right subclavian artery (RSA) with a retro-oesophageal course that most
frequently originates as the most distal branch of the aortic arch. The aim of the
following study was to present and thoroughly describe a case of an ARSA, its
course, branches, and relation to the surrounding anatomical structures and discuss
the clinical significance and embryology of this variant. During routine dissection,
a 63-year-old male cadaver with an abnormal variant of the RSA was found. The
RSA branched off from the aortic arch as the most distal branch. Subsequently,
it coursed posteriorly to the trachea and oesophagus at the level of T2 and T3.
Abnormalities in the branching pattern of the RSA were also discovered, such as
the right vertebral artery originating from the right common carotid artery as its
first branch. This study presents a case of an ARSA, which is a rare anatomical
variant of the branches of the aortic arch. The course and branching pattern of
an aberrant subclavian artery is quite variable, and each variant can be associated
with different possible complications. Furthermore, the ARSA is associated with
other cardiovascular anomalies, such as the Kommerell’s diverticulum. Therefore,
knowledge about the possible variations of this anomaly may be of great importance
for physicians who encounter this variant in their practice.
Abstract
An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA), also called “arteria lusoria”, is described
as a right subclavian artery (RSA) with a retro-oesophageal course that most
frequently originates as the most distal branch of the aortic arch. The aim of the
following study was to present and thoroughly describe a case of an ARSA, its
course, branches, and relation to the surrounding anatomical structures and discuss
the clinical significance and embryology of this variant. During routine dissection,
a 63-year-old male cadaver with an abnormal variant of the RSA was found. The
RSA branched off from the aortic arch as the most distal branch. Subsequently,
it coursed posteriorly to the trachea and oesophagus at the level of T2 and T3.
Abnormalities in the branching pattern of the RSA were also discovered, such as
the right vertebral artery originating from the right common carotid artery as its
first branch. This study presents a case of an ARSA, which is a rare anatomical
variant of the branches of the aortic arch. The course and branching pattern of
an aberrant subclavian artery is quite variable, and each variant can be associated
with different possible complications. Furthermore, the ARSA is associated with
other cardiovascular anomalies, such as the Kommerell’s diverticulum. Therefore,
knowledge about the possible variations of this anomaly may be of great importance
for physicians who encounter this variant in their practice.
Keywords
subclavian artery, aberrant right subclavian artery, arteria lusoria
About this articleTitle
An aberrant right subclavian artery in a 63-year-old male cadaver
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
726-731
Published online
2022-09-30
Page views
1110
Article views/downloads
842
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2023;82(3):726-731.
Keywords
subclavian artery
aberrant right subclavian artery
arteria lusoria
Authors
P. Ostrowski
M. Bonczar
W. Przybycień
I. Zamojska
B. Kołodziejczyk
J. Walocha
M. Koziej
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