Adult-onset dysphagia lusoria secondary to a dissecting aberrant right subclavian artery associated with type B acute aortic dissection.

The case of a 78-year-old African American woman who presented at the Mount Sinai Medical Center (Chicago, USA) with excruciating backache is presented. Computed tomography of the chest at the time of admission showed dissection of the aortic arch, descending aorta and dissection of an aberrant right subclavian artery. She was managed medically for Stanford type B acute aortic dissection. The patient was asymptomatic at presentation, but started complaining of new-onset dysphagia during her stay in the hospital. An esophagogram was performed and suggested posterior impingement of the esophagus, a classic sign of an aberrant right subclavian artery. Because the patient had multiple underlying comorbidities and the dysphagia was mild and intermittent, surgery was deferred. The patient was discharged home after complete stabilization and was scheduled for a follow-up appointment.