Coarctation is congenital narrowing of the aorta just distal to the
origin of the left subclavian artery
- two variants:
- true coarctation: local, short narrowing of
the aortic arch. According to the relationship between the coarctation
and the inserction of the ductus arteriosus or ligamentum arteriosum
preductal, juxtaductal and postductal variants are distinguished.
- tubular hypoplasia: narrowing of the long preductal segment of
the aortic arch between the left subclavian artery and the ductus (the aortic
isthmus). In extreme coarctation the entire trasverse aortic arch may be
hypoplastic. Tubular hypoplasia is the variant seen commonly in fetuses
Coarctation of the aorta may be an isolated defect but is frequenly associated with other cardiac
malformations: bicuspid aortic valve, patent ductus arteriosus, ventricular septal defect,
mitral valve anomalies, tricuspid atresia etc.