Vascular Compression Syndromes

Abstract

Vascular rings are rare. A subset of theses rings will be symptomatic and cause vascular compression syndrome, which requires surgical intervention. Asymptomatic patients can usually be observed. The thoracoscopic approach may be used in selected patients. Preoperative vascular imaging is critical for determining the surgical approach and in which patients a thoracoscopic approach is appropriate. These anomalies are also often noted incidentally during a workup for nonspecific symptoms or another diagnosis. The pediatric surgeon should be familiar with the variety of common malformations and be prepared to deal with them, or call the appropriate surgical consultants for assistance, when they are encountered unexpectedly during another operation. The two most common varieties are aberrant left subclavian artery with right aortic arch and double aortic arch, which account for 90% of all vascular rings.