title: Decompressing vein and bilateral superior venae cavae in a patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
abstract: The levoatrial cardinal vein (LACV), first described in 1926, acts as a decompressing vessel for pulmonary venous return in cases of severe left-sided obstruction with an intact or significantly restrictive atrial septum. The LACV and the persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) are thought to share similar embryologic origins. To challenge this notion, we present a unique case of a neonate with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, cor triatriatum, and a decompressing LACV in the presence of bilateral superior venae cavae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California. kstauffer@stanfordchildrens.org.
authors.forename: Katie Jo
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Stauffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Alisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arunamata
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Shreyas S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Vasanawala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Sarina K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Behera
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Alaina K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kipps
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Norman H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Silverman
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003310:Cor Triatriatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D018636:Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods; D014680:Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; congenital heart defects; cor triatriatum; echocardiography; superior vena cava