(See also Overview of Esophageal Obstructions Overview of Esophageal Obstructions The esophagus (the hollow tube that leads from the throat to the stomach) can be narrowed or completely obstructed (blocked). In most cases, the cause is Progression of an injury to the esophagus... read more .)
The esophagus Throat and Esophagus The throat (pharynx—see also Throat) lies behind and below the mouth. When food and fluids leave the mouth, they pass through the throat. Swallowing of food and fluids begins voluntarily and... read more is the hollow tube that leads from the throat (pharynx) to the stomach.
Dysphagia lusoria is a birth defect. However, the swallowing difficulty may not appear until childhood or later in life, because that is when degenerative changes occur in the abnormally formed blood vessel.
A barium swallow X-Ray Studies of the Digestive Tract X-rays often are used to evaluate digestive problems. Standard x-rays (plain x-rays) do not require any special preparation (see Plain X-Rays). These x-rays usually can show a blockage or paralysis... read more x-ray shows the compression, but angiography Angiography In angiography, x-rays are used to produce detailed images of blood vessels. It is sometimes called conventional angiography to distinguish it from computed tomography (CT) angiography and magnetic... read more (injecting a blood vessel with an agent that can be seen on x-rays) is necessary for an accurate diagnosis of dysphagia lusoria.
Most people require no treatment, but surgical repair is sometimes done.
