title: Abnormality of venous return associated with congenital heart defect in an adult patient.
abstract: Systemic venous abnormalities are common and in some cases may be associated with congenital heart defects. We report here a case of a 67-year-old woman with bilateral superior vena cava with interruption of the inferior vena cava with hemiazygous continuation in the context of left atrial isomerism. These abnormalities were associated with a small secundum atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale. The dilated hemiazygous vein was a potential mimicker of aortic pathology. The dilated coronary sinus was a sign of anomalous venous return. The echocardiographist should search systematically for a congenital heart defect on detection of this type of anomalous venous return. Radiological imaging can help to confirm the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, Hópital Cardiologique, Haut Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, Université Victor Segalen--Bordeaux II, Pessac, France. plmassoure@aol.com
authors.forename: Pierre-Laurent
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Massoure
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Latrabe
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roudaut
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000002:abnormalities; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities