- Home
- Parents Home
- Allergy Center
- Asthma Center
- Cancer Center
- Diabetes Center
- A to Z
- Emotions & Behavior
- First Aid & Safety
- Food Allergy Center
- General Health
- Growth & Development
- Flu Center
- Heart Health
- Helping With Homework
- Infections
- Diseases & Conditions
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Play & Learn Center
- School & Family Life
- Pregnancy & Newborn Center
- Pregnancy & Baby
- Q&A
- Recipes
- Sports Medicine Center
- Doctors & Hospitals
- Videos
- Para Padres
- Home
- Kids Home
- Asthma Center for Kids
- Cancer Center for Kids
- Movies & More
- Diabetes Center for Kids
- Getting Help
- Feelings
- Puberty & Growing Up
- Health Problems of Grown-Ups
- Health Problems
- Homework Center
- How the Body Works
- Illnesses & Injuries
- Nutrition & Fitness Center for Kids
- Recipes & Cooking for Kids
- Staying Healthy
- Stay Safe Center
- Relax & Unwind Center
- Q&A for Kids
- The Heart
- Videos for Kids
- Staying Safe
- Kids' Medical Dictionary
- Para Niños
- Home
- Teens Home
- Asthma Center for Teens
- Be Your Best Self
- Cancer Center for Teens
- Diabetes Center for Teens
- Diseases & Conditions (for Teens)
- Drugs & Alcohol
- Expert Answers (Q&A)
- Flu Center for Teens
- Homework Help for Teens
- Infections (for Teens)
- Managing Your Medical Care
- Managing Your Weight
- Nutrition & Fitness Center for Teens
- Recipes for Teens
- Safety & First Aid
- School & Work
- Sexual Health
- Sports Center
- Stress & Coping Center
- Videos for Teens
- Body
- Mind
- Para Adolescentes
A to Z: Pulmonary Artery Sling
May also be called: PAS, Aberrant Left Pulmonary Artery
Pulmonary artery (pul-muh-NAIR-ee AR-tuh-REE) sling is a rare condition children can be born with, in which the left pulmonary artery comes out of the right pulmonary artery and passes between the trachea (TRAY-kee-uh) and the esophagus (ih-SAH-fuh-gus) to reach the left lung.
More to Know
The pulmonary artery carries oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs. Normally, the pulmonary artery splits in two just after leaving the heart to form the right and left pulmonary arteries. Both arteries are supposed to pass in front of the trachea as they carry blood to the lungs. The trachea, or windpipe, is the main airway from the nose and mouth to the lungs.
When someone has a pulmonary artery sling (PAS), the left pulmonary artery comes out of the right pulmonary artery a short distance from the heart. To reach the left lung, the left pulmonary artery passes in between the trachea and the esophagus, which carries food and fluids from the mouth to the stomach. A pulmonary artery sling typically doesn’t cause any trouble with blood flow, but it can cause serious breathing problems as the artery pushes against the trachea. Sometimes children also have trouble feeding.
Severe cases of PAS can cause life-threatening problems in babies. Other children with PAS may have no issues and may only learn they have PAS when the condition is found by accident later in life. Treatment for PAS involves surgery to detach the left pulmonary artery from the right pulmonary artery and reattach it to the pulmonary artery stem in front of the trachea.
Keep in Mind
Cases of PAS that cause no problems may never need to be repaired. Severe cases may require open-heart surgery in the first months of life. Fortunately, if the condition is discovered and treated early enough, the long-term outlook for anyone born with a PAS is good.
All A to Z dictionary entries are regularly reviewed by KidsHealth medical experts.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995- The Nemours Foundation. KidsHealth® is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Images sourced by The Nemours Foundation and Getty Images.