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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2006;29:673-674
© 2006 Elsevier Science NL

Editorial comment

Interrupted aortic arch

Cardiac Surgery, Southampton General Hospital, UK

^_* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1794 340266; fax: +44 1794 341090. (Email: monro1711@aol.com).

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

Interrupted aortic arch is a rare condition accounting for about 1% of infants with critical congenital heart disease. The arch interruption may be distal to the left subclavian artery (Type A), between the left carotid and left subclavian arteries (Type B) or between the inomminate and left carotid arteries (Type C) [1]. Type B is the commonest and Type C is very rare. Associated defects such as a Ventricular septal defect (VSD) and Persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) are almost always present and these constitute a non-complex group. Other associated lesions such as truncus arteriosus, transposition of the great vessels, Taussig-Bing double right ventricle and univentricular heart constitute a complex group. Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction may be present initially or develop later. The aortic valve is bicuspid in about 30% of cases and an aberrant right subclavian artery originating from the descending aorta is quite common, particularly in Type B.

Early in life the duct shuts and this results in severe congestive failure and metabolic acidosis. The great majority of patients present within the first four weeks of life. Before the availability of Prostaglandin, urgent operation . . . [Full Text of this Article]