Double aortic arch masquerading as bronchial asthma for five decades.

摘要

A 60-year-old man treated for chronic bronchial asthma for more than 5 decades, presented in a debilitated condition. Chest radiography showed mediastinal widening, electrocardiography revealed left anterior hemiblock, magnetic resonance imaging and angiocardiography confirmed double aortic arch. He underwent excision of the anterior arch and release of the trachea and esophagus. Double aortic arch should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic asthma when a patient fails to respond to medical treatment.