Total anomalous pulmonary venous return

The pulmonary veins gather in a single common pulmonary vein which is connected with superior vena cava, right atrium or inferior vena cava. The consequence is that oxygenated blood from the lungs return in the right side of the heart and is pumped in the lungs.

-Fig. 6.11:
Total anomalous pulmonary venous return. A: supracardiac form, the pulmonary vein (PV) gather in one vertical vein (VV) that takes blood in superior vena cava and then in right atrium. B: cardiac form: the pulmonary vein open in the coronary sinus and then in right atrium. C: subcardiac or subdiaphragmatic form the pulmonary vein gather in a single vessel that opens in the inferior vena cava-.

There is always a atrial septal communication through which part of the blood passes from the right atrium to the left atrium and the left ventricle and aorta.

In some cases, specially in the subdiaphragmatic form, the pulmonary vein is obstruct; it features an obstructed  total anomalous pulmonary venous return.

The corrective surgery must be performed as soon as the diagnosis is made. The intervention consist in the connection of the pulmonary veins to the left atrium.

<< back