title: Double aortic arch masquerading as asthma for thirty years.
abstract: A case of a 30-year-old woman with a double-barrelled aorta misdiagnosed as asthma is presented. The patient was significantly improved after surgical treatment but a degree of airway symptoms persisted. She was further investigated and diagnosed with tracheomalacia. The paediatric experience with managing tracheomalacia is briefly reviewed and recommendations for the treatment of the rare adult cases are made. Our report emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of aortic arch abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Serban C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Stoica
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lockowandt
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coulden
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bilton
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods