Health Library Home>Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets>Article

Vascular Ring—Child

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

En Español (Spanish Version)

Definition

A vascular ring is a defect of the aorta and nearby large vessels. The aorta is the large artery that carries blood from the heart to the body. Sometimes, the aorta and nearby large vessels form in unusual positions. The trachea and esophagus can become constricted by the “ring” formed by these vessels. The defect can be:

Double aortic arch
Right aortic arch

It may be found when your child is a baby, but it is often found later in life.

Heart and Aortic Arch

Causes

Vascular ring is present at birth. It is not known why the heart forms this way.

Risk Factors

The risk factors are not known.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary and can range from mild to severe. Your child may have:

Trouble breathing
Lung problems
Poor feeding of solid food
Trouble swallowing

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your child’s symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done.

Pictures may be taken of the heart and other structures. This can be done with:

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is used to measure the heart's electrical activity.

Treatment

Talk with your doctor about the best plan for your child. Your child may need:

Surgery

The goal of surgery is to divide the vascular ring. This will ease pressure on the trachea and esophagus. It may even be done if your child has mild symptoms.

Other Treatments

Before surgery, the doctor will treat your child’s symptoms. Your child will get proper nutrition if there are swallowing problems. If your child has an infection, antibiotics will be given.

Lifelong Monitoring

Your child will have regular exams from a heart specialist.

Prevention

A vascular ring can’t be prevented.

RESOURCES:

American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org

Healthy Children—American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.healthychildren.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Cardiovascular Society
http://www.ccs.ca

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
http://www.heartandstroke.com

REFERENCES:

Vascular ring in children. Boston Children's Hospital website. Available at: http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/vascular-ring. Accessed July 2, 2018.

Vascular rings. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital website. Available at: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/v/rings. Updated June 2015. Accessed July 2, 2018.

Last reviewed May 2018 by Kari Kassir, MD Last Updated: 7/2/2018

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.