Overall Prevalence and Clinical Significance of a Retroesophageal Right Subclavian with a Non-Recurrent Right Laryngeal Nerve in an 83-year-old and a 93-year-old White Male Donor

Ryan Hotchkiss; Aaron Kilgore; Elizabeth Maynes; Maria Ximena Leighton; Gary Wind; Kerrie Lashley; Teresa Buescher; Jordan Dimitrakoff; Guinevere Granite

doi:10.61797/ijcsav.v4i2.253

Ryan Hotchkiss F Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Aaron Kilgore F Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Elizabeth Maynes Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Maria Ximena Leighton Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Gary Wind Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Kerrie Lashley Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
Teresa Buescher The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Jordan Dimitrakoff Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Guinevere Granite Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3953-2250

DOI: https://doi.org/10.61797/ijcsav.v4i2.253

Keywords: Right retroesophageal subclavian artery, Non-recurrent right laryngeal nerve, Aberrant right subclavian artery, Head and neck anatomical variations

Abstract

Head and neck anatomic variations are common and generally go undetected, but may be clinically significant or have important surgical consequences. Knowledge of various abnormalities is important for clinical decision making and the avoidance of iatrogenic complications. Anomalies of the aortic arch and its various branches are relatively common. However, rare variations with profound clinical sequelae can occur. During recent cadaveric dissection, we identified an 83-year-old and a 93-year-old White male donor who both had a right retroesophageal subclavian artery with an associated non-recurrent right laryngeal nerve. Lack of knowledge of this anatomic variation can directly result in severe consequences for patients and lead to major morbidity. Understanding this variation and recognizing it will be important for anatomists, radiologists and surgeons.