Tracheal compression due to anomalous innominate artery in an adult

Abstract

A 47-year-old-female presented with dyspnea and unproductive cough for 4 months. General examination revealed pulsatile swelling in the midline below the thyroid cartilage present since childhood. Computed tomography-angiography of the neck showed right innominate artery dilated, elongated and coursing above downward, anterior to the trachea below the thyroid, compressing the trachea and origin of the right subclavian artery higher up. A case of anomalous innominate artery causing symptomatic compression of the trachea in adults is a rare entity.

Keywords

• Color Doppler
• computed tomography angiography
• innominate artery
• subclavian artery