Surgical management of vascular ring.

Between 1968 and 1980, 51 children had an operation for various forms of vascular ring. Additional cardiac malformations were present in five patients, and six had noncardiac congenital anomalies. Although symptoms started within the first month of life in 39 infants, only 16 came to operation under three months of age, and a delay of more than six months occurred in 15. Stridor, often life-threatening, and recurrent infections were the most common symptoms, but dysphagia was also important. The reasons for delay in diagnosis are discussed. Barium swallow provided the diagnosis in 44 patients and suggested it in a further four patients. Innominate artery compression of the trachea was not diagnosed by barium swallow. Operations of various types were performed. Accuracy in diagnosis is important because not all patients could be treated through the classic left thoracotomy. Severe tracheomalacia was responsible for the only two deaths in the series; one of these had tracheostomy performed in the referring hospital, the second child also had Fallot's tetralogy. The large majority of the patients have done well, 76% being asymptomatic at follow-up. Minimal to moderate stridor persists among the remainder to the present time.