Innominate artery compression of the trachea in infants.

Compression of the airway by the innominate artery has been a controversial cause of stridor and apnea in infants. Magnetic resonance imaging has been applied to document the possible association of segmental tracheomalacia. Forty infants with symptoms of stridor were studied, 7 of 40 infants aged 3-21 months (mean 10 months) had innominate artery compression on the trachea. Five infants were treated conservatively and two infants underwent surgery. Flattening of the trachea was longer than the mass compression point by the innominate artery. Therefore, intrinsic abnormality of the trachea is the basis of the respiratory symptom.