Pseudocoarctation of the Aorta

Since the publication of Rosier and White¹ in 1931, which was probably the first description of "pseudocoarctation" of the aorta, nearly 60 cases have appeared in the English literature. The work of Souders et al² and Dotter and Steinberg³ in 1951 pointed out the significance of diagnosing this entity. We are reporting here two additional cases, one of which is a typical example of a mistaken diagnosis leading to unnecessary thoracotomy, and the other demonstrates two associated congenital anomalies of the cardiovascular system that may be seen in association with pseudocoarctation of the aorta. A patent ductus arteriosus has not been previously reported in association with pseudocoarctation of the aorta.

Patient Summaries 

Patient 1.  —A 42-year-old white male truck dispatcher was admitted to the University of Chicago Hospitals in May 1967 for cardiac catheterization and aortography. He has never had symptoms referable to the cardiovascular or pulmonary system.