Isolated interrupted of aortic arch diagnosed using CT angiography: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE: Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is defined as a complete luminal and anatomical interruption between the ascending and descending aortas. The majority of patients with IAA rarely reach adulthood. In most cases, IAA is associated with an intracardiac malformation, such as ventricular septal defect, bicuspidaortic valve, and patent ductus arteriosus. We reported a 70-year-old man with isolated IAA diagnosed using computed tomography angiography (CTA) without previous intervention. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient presented with edema of the lower extremities and productive cough. DIAGNOSES: CTA displayed an interruption of the aortic arch distal to the left common carotid artery (type B) and extensive collateralization. INTERVENTIONS: The patient refused surgery and underwent conservative therapy with follow-up examinations because of the extensive collateral vascularization. OUTCOMES: The patient is still currently undergoing conservative therapy with follow-up examinations. LESSONS: IAA can present in adulthood with different clinical symptoms. Careful physical examination of the lower and upper peripheral pulses in adults with a chief complaint of hypertension is of outmost importance. CTA is a useful noninvasive imaging modality for the morphologic evaluation of aortic interruption and collateral circulation.