Suprarenal Abdominal Aortic Coarctation Diagnosed During Pregnancy

Abstract

Coarctation of the abdominal aorta is an extremely rare vascular defect in which congenital or acquired etiologies have been described. This case concerns a 30-year-old pregnant woman with 15-years history of uncontrolled hypertension and lower limb claudication presented with worsened hypertension during her first pregnancy. Magnetic resonance angiography study of aorta revealed a stenosis in abdominal aorta about 12mm from the origin of celiac axis accompanied by left sided aortic arch and right aberrant subclavian artery. This case highlights the importance of a throughout physical examination in patients presented with hypertension and it emphasizes considering the coarctation of the abdominal aorta during the diagnostic workup of hypertension, especially in young patients. In such cases magnetic resonance angiography of the aorta is a useful tool to reach a definitive diagnosis especially in pregnant women. Also to our knowledge, this patient is the first one found to have aortic arch malformation combined with an abdominal coarctation.