Interrupted Aortic Arch (IAA) is a rare congenital heart defect where the aorta (the body’s main artery) is completely disconnected, preventing oxygen-rich blood from reaching beyond the gap(the lower body). Before and shortly after birth, a temporary vessel called the ductus arteriosus bridges this gap. When the ductus arteriosus begins to close after birth, it leads to severe, life-threatening symptoms because the lower body and organs are deprived of oxygen-rich blood. Many babies with IAA also have a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), a hole between the heart’s lower chambers.