Retrobronchial vertical vein in totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the innominate vein and its specific occurrence in right isomerism

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 71; no. 13; pp. 1198 - 1203
• Main Authors: Yoo, Shi-Joon, Nykanen, David G., Freedom, Robert M., Benson, Leland N., Moes, C.A.Frederic, Burrows, Patricia E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 15.05.1993; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Abnormalities, Multiple - diagnostic imaging; Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Brachiocephalic Veins - abnormalities; Brachiocephalic Veins - diagnostic imaging; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Child; Child, Preschool; Congenital heart diseases. Malformations of the aorta, pulmonary vessels and vena cava; Female; Heart; Heart Defects, Congenital - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Pulmonary Veins - abnormalities; Pulmonary Veins - diagnostic imaging; Radiography; Retrospective Studies; Vascular disease; Human; Angiography; Radiodiagnosis; Heart disease; Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage; Right; Cardiovascular disease; Exploration; Congenital disease; Venous disease
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-9149(93)90645-S

Recently, a case of right isomerism with totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) to the innominate vein through a vertical vein that ascended in the mediastinum posterior to the left-sided main bronchus was encountered. This retrobronchial vertical vein that has not been described previously in patients with TAPVC to the innominate vein prompted the performance of a retrospective analysis of 44 cases with TAPVC to the innominate vein in which angiography had been performed. The 44 cases consisted of 36 patients with situs solitus, 7 with right isomerism, and 1 with left isomerism. The spatial relation of the vertical vein to the adjacent pulmonary artery and main bronchus could be defined in 41 cases. The vertical vein was retrobronchial in 4 of 5 cases with right isomerism in which the location of the vertical vein could be defined with certainty. No case with situs solitus or left isomerism was associated with a retrobronchial vertical vein. In all 4 patients with a retrobronchial vertical vein, angiographic evidence of obstruction of pulmonary venous drainage was present, and was due to an extrinsic bronchial compression in 2 and to an intrinsic narrowing of the vertical vein in 2.