Atypical aortic arch branching variants: A novel marker for thoracic aortic disease

Abstract

Objective To examine the potential of aortic arch variants, specifically bovine aortic arch, isolated left vertebral artery, and aberrant right subclavian artery, as markers for thoracic aortic disease (TAD). Methods We screened imaging data of 556 patients undergoing surgery due to TAD for presence of aortic arch variations. Demographic data were collected during chart review and compared with a historical control group of 4617 patients. Results Out of 556 patients with TAD, 33.5% (186 patients) demonstrated anomalies of the aortic arch, compared with 18.2% in the control group (P