The long-term outcome of an isolated vascular ring - A single-center experience.
The aim of this study is to document the long-term outcome of patients with a vascular ring. A single-center retrospective review of clinical symptoms was conducted in all patients born between 1980 and 2013, diagnosed with a complete vascular ring and at least 2 years of follow-up. Data were extracted from patient files and clinical symptoms were assessed by questionnaires sent to the parents. Age and diagnostic tools, type of surgery, postoperative complications, and the prevalence of clinical symptoms (stridor at rest, stridor with exercise, cough, exercise intolerance, dysphagia, and frequent respiratory infections) were reviewed. Fifty-one patients were included. The diagnosis was made before the age of 2 in 35/51. Surgery was performed in 41/51 patients with a limited number of reversible complications. The median follow-up was 8 (IQR 5-12) years. After 2 years, 21/51 patients were asymptomatic: 2/7 asymptomatic patients at diagnosis became symptomatic and symptoms resolved in 16/44 initially symptomatic patients. Consequently, 30/51 patients still had symptoms after 2 years. Of these, 16 had partial improvement, 5 stable symptoms, and 9 aggravation of symptoms. After 10 years, 26/36 patients were free of complaints. The most frequent long-term symptom was stridor. Surgical treatment of a congenital vascular ring is safe and mostly performed in patients with a double aortic arch. Conservative treatment for patients with little symptoms seems to be justifiable. A considerable number of patients have residual long-term symptoms after surgical relief of the vascular ring.