title: Cor triatriatum sinistrum: surgical experience in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cor triatriatum sinister, more commonly referred to as cor triatriatum (CT), is characterized by a common pulmonary venous chamber (proximal chamber) separated from the left atrium (distal chamber) by a fibromuscular septum. This report of our experience updates the surgical results of this anomaly in the Asian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1992 and May 2005, nine patients with cor triatriatum underwent surgical correction at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. We retrospectively analyzed their cardiac anatomy, clinical data, surgical procedures and follow-up data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age at surgery was 260+/-215 days (range, 20-790 days), with the exception of one patient who underwent surgery at 31 years of age. Three patients had a partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection, one had a complete atrioventricular canal defect, and one had another major complex cardiac anomaly. Eight corrective operations and one palliative operation were performed. There was no surgical mortality. The mean follow-up time was 52.1+/-43.6 months (range, 17-139 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that surgical correction is efficient and safe for this rare cardiac anomaly.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linko, Kaohsiung and Chia-Yi Center, Chang Gung University of Medicine, 5 Fu-Hsing Street, Kweishan, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yao-Kuang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jaw-Ji
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Jen-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Shian
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chi-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Yu-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Feng-Chun
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Pyng Jing
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003310:Cor Triatriatum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D013624:Taiwan