Vascular rings. Case report and literature review

Vascular rings are congenital abnormalities of the aortic arch, causing compressions on the tracheobronchial and the esophagus, generating respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. They can be classified as complete, when they compress the trachea and the esophagus, or incomplete, when the only affect one of the two structures. We present a 4-month-old infant, with persistent cough and dyspnea. The angiotomography showed the presence of a doble aortic arch causing a vascular ring which diminished the width 50% of the trachea and esophagus. The data obtained also suggested a bilateral pulmonary infection. A resection and suture of the complete vascular ring was performed (doble vascular ring), and the closure of the permeable ductus arteriosus with excellent progress.