Atrial septal displacement for repair of anomalous pulmonary venous return into the right atrium.
BACKGROUND
In the repair of anomalous connection of the pulmonary veins to the right atrium, the use of a baffle of pericardium to divert the pulmonary venous blood into the left atrium could cause pulmonary venous obstruction as a result of thickening of the pericardial patch. Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to the right atrium caused by malposition of the atrial septum primum can be repaired by displacing the shifted septum primum to the normal position.


METHODS
In 5 patients with total (n=2) or partial (n=3) anomalous pulmonary venous drainage into the right atrium, the septum primum was shifted toward the left atrium and the pulmonary veins drained into the anatomic right atrium despite their normal connection with the posterior wall of the left atrium. This method consisted of incision of the posterior edge of the atrial septum primum and displacement of the incised atrial septum between the anomalous pulmonary veins and both venae cavae. No patch was used.


RESULTS
Postoperative echocardiography showed a wide pathway from the pulmonary veins to the left atrium with no stenotic portions. No atrial arrhythmias occurred after the operation.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique may be advantageous because it allows for future growth of the route of the pulmonary venous pathway and avoids postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias.
Hiramatsu
T
T
Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Heart Institute of Japan.
Takanashi
Y
Y
Imai
Y
Y
Hoshino
S
S
Seo
K
K
Terada
M
M
Iwata
Y
Y
Tomimatsu
H
H
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003422:Critical Care; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006339:Heart Rate; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010496:Pericardium / Q000637:transplantation; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000601:surgery; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000209:etiology