COMMON PULMONARY VEIN ATRESIA - IMPORTANCE OF IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION AND SURGICAL INTERVENTION

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 83  (3) , 443-448
Abstract
Common pulmonary vein atresia is a rare congenital anomaly; all 4 pulmonary veins drain into a common dilated chamber with no direct connections to theheart or systemic venous system. Since its first description in 1962, 16 cases were reported. Only 4 patients were surgically managed and none survived. The 17th reported case of common pulmonary vein atresia and the only patient whose anomaly was suspected early enough to demand immediate surgical management, with gratifying long-term success is reported. The literature on the subject is reviewed and common features of the anomaly are emphasized to facilitate precise diagnosis, so that a futile search for a nonexistent communicating vein is avoided at the time of operation. This approach has led to the 1st successful surgical management of this otherwise fatal lesion.

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