The right aortic arch revisited

The association between congenital cardiac defects and a right-sided aortic arch was assessed in 900 children undergoing cardiac angiography. Some of the associations observed differ from those reported in the established radiological literature. A right arch occurred in 15% of children with truncus arteriosus (up to 50% quoted in the literature), and in only 3% of those with tricuspid atresia (15% quoted in the literature). Anatomically corrected transposition of the great arteries was more strongly associated (18.2%) than has previously been suggested. These differences from previous series may, in part, be due to the improved survival of sick neonates allied with earlier diagnosis and better surgical management.