Retroesophageal right subclavian artery: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND Variations of vessels arising from the aortic arch are numerous. One of the common anatomical variations is the right subclavian artery originating as the last branch of the aortic arch. This is a report of a case of an adult male cadaver with a retroesophageal right subclavian artery. OBJECTIVE To highlight the significance of a retroesophageal right subclavian artery, especially its clinical and surgical implications. METHOD Is a report of a case of an anomalous vessel found during routine student dissection of the chest region in a male cadaver. RESULT The retroesophageal subclavian artery was seen originating as the last branch from the postero-lateral aspect of the thoracic aorta at the vertebral level T4. The heart was normal with no other vascular variations seen in this region. CONCLUSION Anatomists and pathologists mainly encounter a retroesophageal right subclavian artery by chance and is usually described as asymptomatic, but several clinical conditions have been associated with its occurrence. This is a clear example of when knowledge of an anatomical variation is helpful in clinical practice.