Vertebral and right subclavian artery abnormalities in the Down syndrome

Abstract The Down Syndrome (DS), the most common chromosomal malformation syndrome in humans, occurs in 1 in 660 births. 1 The clinical manifestations of DS are variable, and may be difficult to recognize in the neonate. We performed this study after the fortuitous finding of aberrant origin of the left vertebral artery on an aortic arch cineangiogram in a patient with DS. We retrospectively reviewed the cineangiograms of other patients with and without DS to determine the frequency of its occurrence. Patients with DS (confirmed by karyotyping) who underwent cardiac catheterization and selective cineangiography for suspected congenital heart disease between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1987, were included. Patients who did not have DS and who were shown to have similar congenital cardiac defects by cardiac catheterization and selective cineangiography served as controls. Only those cineangiograms that clearly showed the aortic arch and the branches arising from the aortic arch were included in the study.