Aberrant origins of the subclavian artery from pulmonary arteries: a case series and literature review

Aberrant subclavian artery arising from the pulmonary artery is an extremely rare anomaly of the aortic arch and is often associated with CHD. It can remain asymptomatic or result in subclavian or pulmonary steal syndrome. We present three cases with aberrant subclavian arteries (two left-sided, one right-sided) and reviewed 44 case reports through an extensive PubMed research to contextualise our findings to the existing literature. Fifty-five per cent of patients had a left, 45% had a right aberrant subclavian artery. The majority of patients (86%) had associated CHD. Blood pressure discrepancies and imaging-particularly transthoracic echocardiography, CT, and cardiac catheterisation-were pivotal in diagnosis. Aberrant subclavian arteries are a rare vascular anomaly, understanding of the embryology and anatomy is essential for the understanding of complex congenital heart variations. Early detection and surgical intervention are crucial to prevent complications.