Pierścień naczyniowy jako przyczyna zaburzeń połykania i nawracajÄ cych infekcji dróg oddechowych u 5-letniej dziewczynki

A vascular ring (VR) is a congenital defect of the great arteries and their branches. It displays a wide variety of anatomic types and clinical symptoms. The symptoms of VR depend on the respiratory tract and/or the oesophagus compression. The classical symptoms of VR include dysphagia and respiratory problems, usually occurring during the first six months of life. Occasionally, the VR is asymptomatic in the first year of a child's life, but the symptoms appear later on. The report presents a case of a 5-year-old girl, in which a VR (double aortic arch) was diagnosed, and the clinical symptoms included dysphagia, starting from the first month of life, and recurrent respiratory tract infections, from the third month. Surgical repair of the VR was performed in one month after the diagnosis was reached.