Aorticopulmonary septal defect in a dog: case report

Case report: Echocardiographic and computed tomographic features of congenital bronchoesophageal artery hypertrophy and fistula in a dog

Introduction

Studies on aberrant bronchoesophageal arteries are limited. Herein, we report a case of a multi-origin systemic-to-pulmonary shunt with suspected bronchoesophageal artery hypertrophy and fistula in a dog.

Case report

A 4-year-old castrated male beagle weighing 11 kg underwent routine medical screening. Physical examination revealed a right-sided continuous murmur of grades 1-2. Thoracic radiography revealed a mild cardiomegaly. Echocardiography revealed a continuous turbulent shunt flow distal to the right pulmonary artery (RPA) branch from the right parasternal short axis pulmonary artery view. Computed tomography demonstrated systemic-to-pulmonary shunts originating from the descending aorta at the level of T7-8, the right 5th and 6th dorsal intercostal arteries, and the right brachiocephalic trunk, which formed anomalous networks around the trachea and esophagus that anastomosed into a large tortuous vessel at the level of T6-7 and entered the RPA. Surgical ligation of multiple shunting vessels was performed. Postoperative echocardiography and computed tomography showed decreased left ventricular volume overload and markedly decreased size of the varices. Additionally, most of the shunting vessels were without residual shunt flow.

Conclusion

The present study provides information regarding imaging features and the successful surgical management of multiple systemic-to-pulmonary shunts originating from the descending aorta, right brachiocephalic trunk, and intercostal arteries and terminating at the RPA. Multimodal imaging features after surgical ligation have also been described.

Aortopulmonary window, left coronary artery aneurysm, and redundant aortic valve leaflet in a calf: the use of multimodal imaging to diagnose congenital heart disease

A 2-month-old male Holstein calf was presented for evaluation of a continuous systolic murmur. A grade V/VI left basilar continuous murmur and a grade IV/VI right basilar continuous murmur was auscultated upon evaluation with increased respiratory effort, wheezes, and crackles. Multimodality diagnostics were performed on this patient for further workup and included transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, fluoroscopy guided angiography, and gross necropsy with histopathology. An aortopulmonary window with continuous left-to-right shunting was identified at the level of the left aortic sinus of Valsalva with a severely dilated left coronary artery and left-sided congestive heart failure. This case report outlines the diagnostic workup of a rare congenital heart defect and secondary cardiac abnormalities not previously identified in veterinary literature.