Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography for follow-up of Waterston shunt.
A 37-year-old man presented with Eisenmenger's reaction. He had progressive cyanosis and signs of right-sided heart failure. In early childhood he was palliated with a Waterston shunt for cyanotic congenital heart disease. Two-dimensional echocardiography provided only a rudimentary view of his heart's anatomy and hemodynamics. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) was superior in visualizing both the size and the shape of the large shunt. RT3DE easily identifies and quantifies a key pathogenic factor for pulmonary hypertension with irreversible vascular damage in such patients. If applied early, RT3DE may prove to be a valuable follow-up tool.
Lilje
Christian
C
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University Heart Center, Hamburg, Germany. lilje@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Lê
Trong-Phi
TP
Weil
Jochen
J
Rázek
Vit
V
D000328:Adult; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003199:Computer Systems; D003490:Cyanosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D018633:Pulmonary Atresia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome