[Pseudocoarctation of the aorta (author's transl)].

Pseudocoarctation is an anomaly of the aortic arch, in which the aorta extends abnormally far cranially and then passes caudally in a double curvature. At the level of the distal curvature the lumen is indentated in a variable extent. In contrast to coarctation, a hemodynamically relevant stenosis and a collateral circulation are absent. We have observed a pseudocoarctation in three adults. All three had a systolic ejection murmur. Pseudocoarctation was combined in three cases with a bicuspid aortic valve and left axis deviation in the ECG. Two cases had slight aortic valvular disease ad an aneurysm of the membranous septum with a left anterior hemiblock in the ECG. According to the chest x-rays the differential diagnosis includes especially coarctation, an aortic aneurysm and a tumor of the mediastinum. Isolated pseudocoarctation requires no specific treatment.