[Tracheal compression by the innominate artery (author's transl)].

A five week old male infant is treated under suspicion of whooping cough because of pertussis like cough, cyanosis, and attacks of reflex apnea. These attacks are seen up to 40 times per day. After exclusion of a cerebral genesis there was found a ventral indentation of the trachea. It was also seen by tracheoscopy, but this part of the trachea was not pulsating. In the angiography the compriming structure was identified as the innominate artery. The genesis of this anatomic variant, the often threatening symptoms in this case without inspiratoric stridor, and the diagnostic and therapeutic steps are discussed.