The value of early repair for total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage

Prenatal diagnosis and antenatal history of total anomalous pulmonary venous return

OBJECTIVE

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) is traditionally diagnosed by echocardiography or cardiac catheterization postnatally after the appearance of clinical signs. We report a case of TAPVR diagnosed prenatally by targeted echocardiography.

CASE REPORT

A 17-year-old woman was referred at 34 weeks of gestation because of persistent bradycardia. Echocardiography showed atrial disproportion and no direct pulmonary venous return to the left atrium. A female infant was delivered by cesarean section at 38 weeks of gestation. Echocardiography and cardiac catheterization were arranged soon after delivery and TAPVR was confirmed. The infant underwent surgical repair of TAPVR by anastomosis between the left atrium and pulmonary venous confluence as well as surgical ligation of the patent ductus arteriosus at the age of 2 days. The infant died on the 28th postoperative day due to obstruction of pulmonary venous return and respiratory failure.

CONCLUSION

With advances in sonographic equipment and careful evaluation of cardiac structures, it is possible to diagnose TAPVR prenatally. Pulmonary venous anatomy should be checked during prenatal examination.

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection: outcome of surgical correction and management of recurrent venous obstruction

OBJECTIVE

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) can be corrected with low mortality and good outcome. If complicated by pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS), either at presentation or secondary to the repair, the long-term outcome is compromised. We have evaluated an institutional experience with TAPVC, with particular regard to the evolving management of PVS.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 85 consecutive patients with non-isomeric TAPVC undergoing surgical correction over a 10-year period (1988-1997). In addition, three patients were referred to us with secondary PVS, having had their primary procedure elsewhere. Attention was focused on incidence of PVS, and strategies for management.

RESULTS

Median age at first operation was 33 days (range 1-533). Site of drainage was supracardiac (43/88), infracardiac (20/88), cardiac (17/88), and mixed (8/88). On presentation, 35% of patients were ventilated. Early mortality was 7% (6/85), with one late non-cardiac death. 82% of the original patients (70/85) are currently well at a median follow-up of 64 months (range 6-119). The incidence of PVS requiring intervention was 11% (9/85). Median time to PVS was 41 days. In these patients, 18 balloon angioplasties, four endovascular stent placements (in two patients), and a further 23 surgical procedures were performed. Of the nine patients undergoing re-intervention after initial surgery at our institution, five (56%) survived. Two of these have no residual obstruction and right ventricular pressure (RVP) < 50% systemic, two have unilateral obstruction and RVP < 50% systemic, and one has bilateral obstruction and RVP 80% systemic. Of the three patients referred to us with secondary PVS, two are alive and well, and one died early after the first re-operation.

CONCLUSIONS

Intrinsic obstruction (endocardial sclerosis or thickening) is associated with worse prognosis and earlier re-intervention than extrinsic (anatomical) obstruction. We advocate an early, aggressive approach to the management of patients with TAPVC, especially in the presence of PVS. This complication is most appropriately managed by a combination of re-operation and repeated balloon dilation.

Obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

With the advent of echocardiography, total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) can be readily diagnosed without much difficulty. However, noninvasive detection of the presence of pulmonary venous obstruction in TAPVC remains a difficult issue. During a 5.5-year period, 42 patients were found to have TAPVC by catheterization, surgery, and/or autopsy: 17 had supracardiac drainage, 13 paracardiac drainage, nine infracardiac drainage, and three mixed drainage. Obstruction to pulmonary venous drainage was found in 24 patients (57%). Patients with right isomerism tended to have a higher incidence of pulmonary venous obstruction than those with the usual atrial arrangement (80% vs. 44%, p < 0.05). Color Doppler combined with cross-sectional echocardiography provided accurate delineation of drainage sites in 93% cases (39 of 42). Among the 39 cases with correct echocardiographic delineation of the drainage site, obstruction was detected by echocardiography in 22 cases with a sensitivity of 100% (22 of 22) and a specificity of 85% (17 of 20). Therefore, complete echocardiography, including cross-sectional images and color Doppler proved to be a reliable tool in the detection of drainage sites and pulmonary venous obstruction in TAPVC.