Aberrant Right Vertebral Artery with a Diverticulum of Kommerell: Review of a Rare Aortic Arch Anomaly

Abstract

The normal aortic arch branching pattern is of a three-vessel arch with the vertebral arteries arising from the subclavian arteries. There are a variety of well-known symptomatic and asymptomatic aortic branching patterns widely reported in the literature. An anomalous right vertebral artery with a diverticulum of Kommerell is an extremely rare variant, with few other cases reported in the literature. Herein, we review the embryology of the aortic arch and vertebral artery, the various types of Kommerell's diverticula and the clinical significance of this anomaly.