DOUBLE AORTIC ARCH

Course overview

DOUBLE AORTIC ARCH IS THE COMMONEST FORM OF A GROUP OF DEFECTS THAT AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AORTA. THIS DEFECT CAUSES AN ABNORMAL CIRCULAR FORMATION OF BLOOD VESSELS, CALLED A VASCULAR RING, THAT CAN RESULT IN LIFE-THREATENING AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION. TO AVOID THE HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONDITION, IT MUST BE THOUGHT OF AND PROMPTLY DIAGNOSED AND TREATED. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF A DOUBLE AORTIC ARCH AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.