Left aortic arch and right descending aorta: diagnostic and therapeutic implications of a rare type of vascular ring.

A 3-month-old infant with acute airway obstruction due to the combination of left aortic arch and right descending aorta with persistence of a right ligamentum arteriosum is presented. This is a rare form of a vascular ring and carries special diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Guidelines for diagnosis and surgical treatment are outlined.