title: Congenital communication of a retroaortic innominate vein with both the left and right atria in the presence of a normal coronary sinus.
abstract: We report the first known case of a retro-aortic innominate vein providing continuity between both the left and right atria in the presence of a left superior vena cava and a normal coronary sinus. This unusual structure created a bidirectional shunt with clinical desaturation at baseline and it complicated the management of a 9-year-old patient while undergoing mechanical ventilation. An embryologic mechanism that explains the development of this complex remains elusive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, The Children's Heart Center, Medical College of Virginia at VCUHS, Richmond, VA, 23298-0543, USA. mtownsend@mcvh-vcu.edu
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
mesh_terms: D016121:Brachiocephalic Veins / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002648:Child; D054326:Coronary Sinus; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities*