Visualization of the Pulmonary Arteries in the Patients with Pulmonary Atresia or Hypoplasia by Pulmonary Vein Wedge Angiography

ABSTRACT

The surgical management of patients whose pulmonary arteries are discontinuous from the ventricular mass depends in part on adequate visualization and quantification of the pulmonary arteries. Pulmonary vein wedge angiography has proven effective technique in demonstrating the true mediastinal(intrapericardial) pulmonary arteries(when present) when standard anterograde injections do not suffice. Pulmonary vein wedge angiography was performed in 11 patients during cardiac catheterization at Serverance Hospital Yonsei University College of Medicine between June, 1984 and December, 1985. In all the patients, venous angiography gave a more complete, clear picture of the pulmonary arteries. We feel that pulmonary venous wedge angiography often is superior to and at least complements standard angiographic methods of opacifying the pulmonary artries in patients with pulmonary atresia or occluded pulmonary arteries. We recommend it as a routine part of the evaluation of these patients.