Isolated right aortic arch: Antenatal evaluation

Abstract

Aortic arch abnormalities are the least frequently prenatally diagnosed congenital cardiac abnormalities. Right aortic arch (RAA) identified in prenatal period is associated frequently with other cardiac/non-cardiac malformations, notably tracheal or esophageal compression and microdeletions 22q11. Intrauterine and postnatal survey of the fetus depends on these anomalies and their effects. Aortic arc variations, particularly RAA, can be diagnosed accurately by fetal echocardiography. Elaborated fetal cardiac and extracardiac evaluation should be undertaken in all cases of RAA by using Doppler ultrasound. Also cytogenetic testing for 22q11 microdeletions should be considered carefully. Nonetheless, it should be kept in mind that isolated RAA has a good prognosis, and in the majority of the patients, it is an asymptomatic vascular variant with a relatively low risk for chromosomal anomaly. In this paper with this case, we aim to evaluate the prenatal findings, associated conditions and prognosis of prenatally detected RAA anomalies in the light of literatures.