Dysphagia lusoria caused by an aberrant right subclavian artery

A 36-year-old, otherwise-healthy woman with a 6-year history of progressive dysphagia underwent an esophagogram that revealed an oblique extrinsic defect with an interior-to-superior (left-to-right) course consistent with an aberrant right subclavian artery. An aortogram confirmed the diagnosis of aberrant right subclavian artery. She underwent surgical repair, tolerated the procedure well, and was discharged home, symptom free, on postoperative day 3. We found that the right supraclavicular approach provides good exposure and avoids the morbidity of the classically described approach via a median sternotomy or thoracotomy.