Coarctation of the Aorta

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) and interrupted aortic arch represent two ends of a spectrum of extracardiac obstruction to the left ventricular (LV) output. CoA refers to a discrete narrowing of the descending aortic lumen (usually seen as a single posterior shelf of tissue at the level of the ductus arteriosus); "aortic hypoplasia" implies a narrowed aortic segment of some length in the absence of such a discrete shelf; "atretic arch" defines an interruption to the patency of the aortic arch lumen with the two blind ends of the arch connected only by a fibrous strand; and finally, "interrupted aortic arch" describes the complete discontinuity between the proximal and the distal ends of the aortic arch. As with other causes of obstruction to LV output, these lesions may coexist and be further compounded by intra- and extracardiac defects [1, 2].