Selective coronary arteriography in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries

Sequential diagnosis of coronary arterial anatomy in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to analyze coronary arteries (CA) in congenitally corrected transposition (CCT) and to determine the influence of aortopulmonary rotation on its pattern systematically. Precise CA anatomy is surgically needed in the current era of double switch for CCT.

METHODS

We collected data on 62 patients who had CCT with situs solitus or inversus between 1981 and 1999. Coronary artery anatomy was analyzed as it related to apical position, atrial situs, ventricular looping, and aortopulmonary rotation. Five main types with similar variants of epicardial configuration at the base of the heart were categorized into five central patterns (patterns X, O, I, II, and IV).

RESULTS

The right CA coursed to the left in CCT with situs solitus, and to the right in CCT with situs inversus; and to the more posterior atrioventricular groove in both without apicocaval ipsilaterality. However, in CCT with more apicocaval ipsilaterality, the left circumflex might shift posterior to the right CA. With the same aortopulmonary rotation, the two groups had similar central patterns, and eta-square analysis showed that the evolution from patterns X, O, I, II, toward IV (n = 1, 36, 15, 9 to 1) was dependent on clockwise aortopulmonary rotation (p < 0.00000).

CONCLUSIONS

Peripheral CA pattern in the atrioventricular groove was dictated by apicocaval ipsilaterality anteroposteriorly and ventricular looping dextrosinistrally, irrespective of atrial situs. The central CA pattern near the aortic sinus depended on aortopulmonary rotation due to "marriage of convenience" between them, and thus was predictable from arterial relations irrespective of its disease category.

Mid left anterior descending coronary artery originating from the right coronary artery

Dual connection of the left anterior descending coronary artery to the left and right coronary arteries is a very rare congenital anomaly. In this report we describe two cases in which the mid-position of the left anterior descending coronary artery is connected to the right coronary artery, one directly and the second by way of the infundibular artery. To the best of our knowledge, connection of the mid-position of the left anterior descending to the infundibular artery has not been previously described.

Dual connection of the left anterior descending coronary artery to the left and right coronary arteries

Origin of the left anterior descending coronary artery from the right coronary artery is a well-described but rare congenital coronary anomaly. In this report, we describe two cases in which the mid left anterior descending coronary artery is connected to the right coronary artery through an intraseptal connecting vessel, while the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery originates normally from the left main coronary artery. This previously unreported pattern suggests partial persistence of the peritruncal ring, which occurs during normal embryologic development of the coronary circulation. Even though it is classically described as an epicardial structure, the vascular pattern in our cases suggests that the peritruncal ring may have an intramural segment in some individuals.

Coronary artery anatomy in corrected transposition of the great arteries

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries is an unusual cardiac malformation with discordant atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial alignments. Because knowledge of the coronary artery anatomy is a prerequisite for successful repair of this cardiac anomaly, selective coronary arteriography was performed in 13 children (4 male and 9 female; age range 18 months to 16 years) and 1 adult (aged 59 years) with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries and associated intracardiac defects. The typical coronary distribution of corrected transposition (that is, coronary artery-ventricular concordance) was found in 11 patients. In one patient, a single coronary ostium was observed; the right sinus of Valsalva gave rise to a short common branch that divided into three arteries: a left circumflex artery going to the right, a well developed left anterior descending artery running into the anterior interventricular groove and a third vessel that continued on the normal course of the right coronary artery directed posteriorly. In one patient, the left circumflex artery was particularly small. In another patient, with severe hypoplasia of the left anterior descending coronary artery, the anterior ventricular wall of the heart was supplied by three small branches that ended a short distance from their origins. The adult patient had a large anterior ventricular branch arising from the morphologic left coronary ventricular as well as a large acute marginal branch, with a wide distribution, from the morphologic right coronary artery. Presurgical coronary angiographic documentation is helpful because, in congenitally corrected transposition as well as in complex congenital heart disease, coronary anomalies (in origin, course and distribution) are occasionally present and knowledge of their presence can help determine the most appropriate surgical approach.

Complex cyanotic congenital heart disease correctable with an intra-atrial baffle

The clinical, angiocardiographic, and surgical findings in a cyanotic child with dextrocardia, L-loop, laterally inverted but otherwise normally related great arteries, and situs ambiguus are described and compared with other similar cases. Electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and angiographic data are reviewed, and the segmental approach to diagnosis is stressed. Both systemic and pulmonary veins returned to the right-sided atrium. Blood then passed either through the mitral valve to the morphologically left ventricle and to the aorta or through an atrial septal defect to a small left-sided atrium, right ventricle, and pulmonary artery. Total correction was undertaken with an intra-atrial baffle to direct pulmonary venous return to the morphologically right ventricle and systemic venous return to the right ventricle. The subpulmonic stenosis was alleviated with an outflow patch.