A case of systemic origin of an aberrant artery to the basal segments of the left lung

A thirteen-year-old asymptomatic boy was referred to our hospital because of a cardiac murmur detected on a routine physical examination at school. A plane chest radiography showed increased vascular markings in the left lower field. An Aortogram revealed a large artery arising from the descending aorta and suppling the left posterior basal segment which had no pulmonary arteries. A bronchogram showed no abnormal findings in the bronchial tree. A clinical diagnosis of systemic origin of an aberrant artery to the basal segments of the left lung was made, and left lower lobectomy was performed successfully. We discussed the difference of this anomaly from pulmonary sequestration as well as the surgical procedure.