A case of malformation of aortic arches simulating asthma

Abnomalies of the aortic arches are rare and account for 1% of congenital cardiovascular malformations. They constitute one of the causes of compression of the airways with attacks of dyspnea sometimes simulating an asthma. We report the case of an infant with an anomaly development of aortic arches with impact breathing. It was a 22-month-old infant who consulted for a dyspnea with a type of stridor associated with a fat cough. This clinical table started 45 days after its birth and led to many hospitalizations in the pediatric emergency. Clinical exam found polypnea, with a wheezing, bronchial groan and diffuse sibilants on the auscultation. The chest X-ray revealed a slightly retractile right lung. The angioscanner of the thoracic and abdominal aorta showed a double aortic arch with retro-oesophageal left ventricular artery. A thoracotomy was performed and the operative sequences were simple. The congenital anomalies of the aortic arch are rare and varied, sometimes asymptomatic. This case reminds us that, in front of any recurrent or digestive respiratory signs in the infant, malformation of the aortic arches should be considered.