Diagnostic methods and surgical treatment of the left superior vena cava draining into the left atrium / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To review our experiences of diagnostic methods and surgical treatment of the left superior vena cava (LSVC) draining into the left atrium.Methods Nineteen patients with LSVC draining into the left atrium were diagnosed and treated surgically from February 1998 to January 2012.All the cases were combined with other congenital heart diseases including patent ductus arteriosus,ventricular septal defect,atrial septal defect,single atrium,triatriatum,partial endocardial cushion defect,anomalous pulmonary venous drainage,right ventricle outflow stenosis,pulmonary valve stenosis,tetralogy of Fallot,double outlet right ventricle,complete endocardial cushion defect,tricuspid atresia.The patients were diagnosed through different methods including echocartiographic examination,cardiac catheterization,computer tomography,and explored during the operation,even postoperatively.All were treated surgically with four techniques including simple ligation to the LSVC,including ligation during a redo procedure; intra atrial rerouting to drainage the flow from the LSVC to the right atrium,atrial septum reconstruction to make the outlet of the LSVC lying in the right side of the patched atrial septal,and bidirectional Glenn shunt to get a physiological result.Results No mortality postoperatively.All the cases were uneventful postoperatively.And the main postoperative course was related only to the main diagnosis of congenital heart disease,not to the left superior vena cava draining into the left atrium.The echo examination result was satisfied before the discharge.The early and long term follow-up(1-11 years) results are excellent,no arrhythmia,no cardiac deficits after echo examination,including stenosis obstruction and residual shunt.No death.Conclusion The diagnostic methods of the LSVC draining into the left atrium are difficult,the only way to make the diagnosis clearly enough before the operation is depending on improving of more and more comprehending to this rare cardiac anomaly,by the pediatric cardiologists,the sinologist,the intensive care unit,and the pediatric cardiae surgeons.The choice of different surgical treatment is depending on the diagnosis and the findings during the operations,and the results are excellent after a suitable choice made.