INTERRUPTION OF AORTIC ARCH

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Abstract
One hundred five cases of interruption of the aortic arch (95 from the literature; 10 from personal experience) were reviewed and grouped according to the pattern of the aortic arch. Most of the subjects exhibited congestive cardiac failure while young infants. A classification based on the sites of origin of the subclavian arteries with respect to the site of aortic interruption is presented as a useful guide in the interpretation of angiocardiograms and of levels of arterial oxygen saturations in cases of this malformation. A review was also made of the intracardiac anomalies that are associated with interruption of the aortic arch. In 98 cases, a ventricular septal defect coexisted with the interruption of the aortic arch either as an isolated intracardiac anomaly (58 cases) or as part of an anomalous complex (40 cases). In only 6 of 105 cases of interruption of the aortic arch were there no associated intracardiac anomalies. A patent ductus arteriosus was almost universally present. In only 2 patients, each an adult, was the ductus arteriosus found closed.