An acquired transposition of the aortic arch secondary to large esophageal cancer misdiagnosed as a right-side aortic arch

The present study is the first reported case of a patient undergoing esophagectomy with ectopic aortic arch secondary to a large esophageal cancer, which was pre-operatively misdiagnosed with a rightside aortic arch (RAA). The patient, a 54-year-old male, was first admitted to our hospital for esophagectomy owing to esophageal squamous cancer and had complained of progressive dysphasia for 3 months. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a mass in the middle thoracic esophagus. Furthermore, the threedimensional CT of the thoracic great arteries showed a possible RAA and a curved descending aorta. After preoperative evaluation, the approach of using a left thoracotomy with cervical anastomosis was successfully performed and favorable short-term outcomes were achieved. According to previous reports, and the experience of the presented case, we emphasize clear recognition of the anatomical situation in the upper mediastinum and the importance of an optimal surgical approach for esophagectomy.