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Canadian Journal of Surgery logoLink to Canadian Journal of Surgery
. 1996 Feb;39(1):48–52.

Dysphagia lusoria: extrathoracic surgical management

Michael Taylor 1, Kenneth A Harris 1,, Alan G Casson 1, Gaetano DeRose 1, William G Jamieson 1
PMCID: PMC3895126  PMID: 8599791

Abstract

Objective

To report a case of dysphagia lusoria managed by an extrathoracic approach.

Design

Case report and literature review.

Setting

A university hospital.

Patient

A 39-year-old man, who presented with weight loss and dysphagia. Aortography and computed tomography revealed an aberrant subclavian artery compressing the esophagus against the aortic arch.

Intervention

The right subclavian artery was divided at its origin and reimplanted onto the right carotid artery. The operation was performed through a right supraclavicular incision without opening the chest.

Results

There was no operative morbidity. Six months postoperatively the patient was asymptomatic and had gained weight. There was no radiologic evidence of esophageal compression.

Conclusions

Based on the results of our case of dysphagia lusoria and the reports of others that have started to appear in the literature, consideration should be given to repairing a symptomatic, nonaneurysmal aberrant right subclavian artery through an extrathoracic approach.

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Articles from Canadian Journal of Surgery are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

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