Unilateral rib notching in Fallot's tetralogy due to systemic-pulmonary collateral vessels

Congenital extracardiac shunts with tetralogy of Fallot

Congenital extracardiac shunts in tetralogy of Fallot may significantly alter the history and clinical findings and also have significant management implications. An unusual variant of severe tetralogy of Fallot in a 54-year-old man enabled long survival with minimal symptoms. The patient had pulmonary valvular and infundibular stenosis, a large ventricular septal defect, an overriding aorta, and large volume systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunting from his right internal mammary and accessory internal mammary arteries to his right pulmonary artery.

Development of rib notching after a cava-pulmonary anastomosis

A patient with tetralogy of Fallot and mitral regurgitation developed unilateral rib notching on the right side secondary to a palliative cava-pulmonary anastomosis. After the operation, decreased perfusion of the right upper and middle lobes stimulated the development of collateral vessels from the systemic circulation to the right pulmonary artery. To our knowledge, this is the first time that this has been described.