Dyspnea after pneumonectomy: the result of an atrial septal defect.
We report the case of severe hypoxemia attributable to right-to-left shunting through an atrial septal defect after right-sided pneumonectomy that developed in a 70-year-old man. Normal right atrial and pulmonary artery pressures were measured. Right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale is known as a rare complication after pneumonectomy. Our patient, however, demonstrated a true atrial septal defect (septum secundum defect) upon open operative repair of the interatrial connection.
Zueger
O
O
Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
Solèr
M
M
Stulz
P
P
Jacob
A
A
Perruchoud
A P
AP
D000368:Aged; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000601:surgery; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*