THE SMALL PULMONARY BLOOD VESSELS IN ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT

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Abstract
Specimens of lung tissue were obtained at autopsy from 5 children with atrial septal defect. In 2 patients with normal pressures as previously recorded by cardiac catheterization, the pulmonary blood vessels were normal. In 3 patients whose mean pulmonary artery pressures were above 50 mm Hg, there was medial hypertrophy and severe intimal fibrosis in the muscular pulmonary arteries (100-1000 [mu]) and a distinct muscular media with two elastic laminae and severe intimal fibrosis in the pulmonary arterioles (< 100 [mu]). It is the impression that these appearances are the result of pulmonary hypertension irrespective of the underlying cardiac anomaly.