Castellano Brianna, Kumar Riya, Buencamino Maria, Sibaja Kristel, Biglione Alejandro
Medicine, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Internal Medicine, Wellington Regional Medical Center, Wellington, USA.
Cureus. 2025 Mar 24;17(3):e81092. doi: 10.7759/cureus.81092. eCollection 2025 Mar.
Arteria lusoria is an uncommon anatomical variant in which the right subclavian artery originates from the descending aorta rather than the brachiocephalic trunk. The vascular anomaly causes compression of the esophagus and can lead to dysphagia. Differential diagnosis includes other causes of dysphagia such as neurological, functional, or structural disorders. Diagnosis is achieved by radiological modalities, and treatment with dietary modifications is usually successful. However, severe or refractory cases require surgical intervention. This study presents the case of a 72-year-old woman with intermittent dysphagia who was found to have an aberrant origin of the right subclavian artery on CT angiography (CTA) of the chest. Arteria lusoria remains a diagnostic challenge. This paper describes the clinical manifestations, diagnostic approach, and management of arteria lusoria.