Between May 1955 and July 1987, 33 children with a vascular ringcompression syndrome were treated at this institution. There were 4iatrogenic, 2 unexpectedly found and 27 symptomatic congenital vascularrings. Accurate diagnosis is based on a water soluble iodine contrast dyeoesophagogram, bronchoscopy and angiography which are complementaryexaminations. All symptomatic congenital vascular rings were treatedsuccessfully without mortality, but the mortality was 50% if the lesion wasiatrogenic in origin or unexpectedly found during palliative or correctivecardiac surgery.