Functional Capacity and Quality of Life in Patients With Vascular Ring

To investigate the long term functional capacity and quality of life of patients with a history of vascular ring whether they did or did not have corrective surgery. Patients will perform pulmonary function test, 6 minute walk test, cardiopulmonary exercise test and will fill a quality of life questionnaire.

Vascular rings are congenital vascular anomalies of the aortic arch that compress the esophagus and the trachea. The most common vascular rings are double aortic arch and right aortic arch with left ligamentum. Pulmonary artery sling is less common. Another cause of tracheal compression occurring only in infants is the innominate artery compression syndrome. When patients are symptomatic, surgical correction should be performed. data regarding long term functional capacity and quality of life is lacking. our aim is to investigate the long term functional capacity and quality of life of patients with history of vascular ring whether they did or did not have corrective surgery. Methods: a prospective study evaluating functional capacity and quality of life the patients will perform pulmonary function test, 6 minute walk test, cardiopulmonary exercise test and will fill a quality of life questionnaire (sf-36).