Abstract
A case of aberrant right subclavian artery in a 67-year-old woman is reported.
She underwent an upper GI series in a certain hospital, which showed a filling defect at the upper esophagus. Then, she visited our clinic for the further examinations. She had had no episodes of dysphagia. The physical examination was normal and routine lab-oratory findings were within normal limits. Barium esophagograms demonstrated an ex-ternal compression at the posterior wall of the esophagus just above the aortic arch and the passage of barium through the region was smooth. Esophageal endoscopy revealed an evidence of the extraluminal compression with horse-back shape, at the left posterior wall of the esophagus, 22 cm from the incisors. Neither mucosal abnormality nor pulsation in the region was noted. Angiography of the aortic arch was then carried out and it confirmed an aberrant right subclavian artery arising as the last branch of the aortic arch.
Since she has never complained of dysphagia, no surgery was performed this time, but she has now been carefully followed-up in our clinic.
In addition to our case report, we reviewed some literatures with discussion on the mechanism of clinical symptoms of aberrant right subclavian artery.
