[Double aortic arch associated with severe left ventricular dysfunction--a case report].

A case of a 3-month-old male infant with severe LV dysfunction and a complete double aortic arch (both arches patient) is reported. The right dominant aortic arch runs retroesophageally to the right and joins with the left smaller arch to form the descending thoracic aorta on the right side while the ligamentum arteriosum was located in its normal position (the left side). Through a left thoracotomy, the smaller left arch and the ligamentum were divided to relieve the obstruction of the trachea from compression of the vascular ring. Postoperative convalescence was good. Further follow up of this patient after 9 months showed that there was neither any respiratory failure nor any heart failure sign present, though severe LV dysfunction persisted.