National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Aberrant subclavian artery


Other Names:
Aberrant right subclavian artery; Aberrant left subclavian artery
Categories:
Aberrant subclavian artery is a rare vascular anomaly that is present from birth. It usually causes no symptoms and is often discovered as an incidental finding (such as through a barium swallow or echocardiogram). Occasionally the anomaly causes swallowing difficulty (dysphagia lusoria).[1][2] Swallowing symptoms in children may present as feeding difficulty and/or recurrent respiratory tract infection.[2] When aberrant subclavian artery causes no symptoms, treatment is not needed. If the anomaly is causing significant symptoms, treatment may involve surgery.[1][2] Children with symptomatic aberrant subclavian artery should be carefully evaluated for additional vascular and heart anomalies.[2]
Last updated: 6/30/2011

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Aberrant subclavian artery. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Pramesh CS, Saklani AP, Parmar V, Acharya S, Badwe RA. Aberrant subclavian artery causing difficulty in transhiatal esophageal dissection. Diseases of the Esophagus. 2003;16:173-176;
  2. Woods RK, Sharp RJ, Holcomb GW, Snyder CL, Laofland GK, Ashcraft KW, Holder TM. Vascular anomalies and tracheoesophageal compression: A single institution's 25-year experience. Ann Thorac Surg. 2001;72:434-9;