Bridge bronchus and pulmonary artery sling: Case report and literature review.

We present the case of a 14-year-old adolescent boy with a history of poorly controlled asthma and a final diagnosis of a bridge bronchus associated with sling of the left pulmonary artery. Regarding the case report, we describe the characteristic findings in computerized tomography multidetector of the thorax, its classification, and the most relevant information about this malformation. Congenital malformations of the tracheobronchial tree may occur in the context of asymptomatic or symptomatic respiratory patients. These malformations may be associated with other vascular, tracheal, and syndromes with multiorgan involvement. Although most patients are asymptomatic, some of them will have nonspecific symptoms without a clear etiology or will be diagnosed incidentally during the diagnostic evaluation of other pathologies. It is important to know and recognize the normal anatomy and its variations, since radiology undoubtedly plays a fundamental role in the diagnosis and preoperative assessment of these malformations, which although they have low incidence, must be identified in a timely manner by the specialist in diagnostic images.

Diseases of the pulmonary arteries: imaging appearances and pearls.

A wide spectrum of pathology, both congenital and acquired, can affect the pulmonary arteries. While some of these are commonly seen in everyday clinical practice, some are rare. These entities may be discovered incidentally at imaging for other reasons in an asymptomatic patient, however patients may go on to develop symptoms over the course of their lifetime. Although an enlarged pulmonary artery can be visualized on chest X-ray (CXR), for the most part, CXR is insensitive for detecting abnormalities of the pulmonary arteries. Contrast-enhanced chest CT (CECT) is a better test to evaluate the pulmonary arteries as it is readily available, quick to perform, able to provide multiplanar reformatted images, and noninvasive. CECT is not only able to assess the lumen and wall of the pulmonary artery, but also provides a detailed evaluation of the entire thorax, including the heart, mediastinal structures, and lungs, often times picking up associated findings, and is the mainstay for evaluating disorders of the pulmonary vasculature. MRI allows for detailed evaluation of the vessel wall which can be especially helpful in cases where malignancy or vasculitis are suspected, and is also able to provide useful physiologic data such as quantification of flow. It is important for the radiologist to be aware of the many conditions which affect the pulmonary arteries, as some may require urgent treatment. This article will review normal pulmonary artery anatomy and physiology, as well as the various imaging findings of pulmonary vascular pathologies.

Pulmonary artery reconstruction and correction of tetralogy of Fallot combined with the absence of the mediastinal left pulmonary artery.

OBJECTIVES: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common deformity combined with the unilateral absence of the mediastinal pulmonary artery (UAMPA), and its treatment strategy remains controversial. In this study, we analyzed the effect of bilateral pulmonary reconstruction in patients with TOF combined with UAMPA. METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective review of 1713 patients with TOF between January 2009 and November 2021. Overall, eight patients were diagnosed with TOF combined with UAMPA. Among them, seven underwent surgery: three underwent one-stage TOF correction with bilateral pulmonary artery reconstruction; three patients underwent bilateral pulmonary artery reconstruction, followed by two-stage TOF correction after several months; and one patient underwent two procedures of left pulmonary artery reconstruction, and the ventral septal defect remained open. The left pulmonary arteries were reconstructed with a Goretex conduit in three cases, direct anastomosis in two cases, and the modified autologous tissue extension technique in two cases. RESULTS: All seven patients survived during the postoperative follow-up and showed good cardiac function and normal oxygen saturation of >97%. During follow-up echocardiography, we noted that the left pulmonary arteries reconstructed with a Goretex conduit or direct anastomosis had thrombosis or stenosis. However, those reconstructed using the modified autologous tissue extension technique was unobstructed. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with TOF and UAMPA, if there is a pulmonary artery confluence in the affected hilum, it is feasible to implement bilateral pulmonary artery reconstruction for one-stage TOF correction. The use of the pulmonary artery extension technique and autologous tissue for bilateral pulmonary reconstruction could reduce the incidence of anastomotic stenosis.

Crossed pulmonary arteries: An underestimated cardiovascular variant with a strong association with genetic syndromes-A report of 74 cases with systematic review of the literature.

Crossed pulmonary arteries (CPAs) represent an uncommon anatomic variant, usually associated with some specific syndromes and conotruncal defects. This finding has been described in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS). We evaluated the correlation between CPAs and genetic diseases, in order to better define the characteristics of this variant, considered a rare anatomic pattern. An in-depth analysis of CPAs genotype-phenotype correlations was performed via a literature review. We detected 74 CPAs patients through echocardiography. Of these 74 patients, 35.1% of patients showed additional intracardiac malformations, while 29.7% showed extracardiac vascular anomalies, of which 16.2% were associated with intracardiac defects and 13.5% were not. In all, 62.2% of patients were diagnosed with genetic diseases and 52.2% of them were 22q11.2DS patients. In conclusions, CPAs represent a cardiovascular variant, which is detectable in nonsyndromic individuals, but especially in various genetic syndromes and in particular in 22q11.2DS patients. Data on the real prevalence of this morphology is lacking in literature. Knowledge of this anatomic variant is useful to interpret the unusual course of the pulmonary branches and is helpful information before cardiovascular surgical correction. Moreover, due to the strong association of CPAs with some genetic syndromes, the identification of this anatomic pattern can indicate the utility of a genetic assessment of these patients.

Anomalous Origin of the Right Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery in a Neonate with Turner Syndrome and Aortic Arch Hypoplasia.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, a rare congenital cardiac defect, is typically not diagnosed during infancy. On the other hand, Turner syndrome is usually diagnosed early, and it is classically associated with bicuspid aortic valve and aortic coarctation. Individuals with Turner syndrome are also at increased risk for coronary artery anomalies. We present a case of anomalous right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in a week-old neonate who also had Turner syndrome, patent ductus arteriosus, transverse aortic arch hypoplasia, and impaired ventricular function. Prostaglandin therapy through the ductus increased the patient's myocardial perfusion. Four months after corrective surgery, she was doing well. We discuss the reperfusion phenomenon in our patient's case, as well as other considerations in this combination of congenital defects.

Origen anómalo de la arteria coronaria derecha desde el tronco de la arteria pulmonar (ARCAPA) / Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery originating from the pulmonary trunk; ARCAPA / Origem anômala da artéria coronária direita do tronco da artéria pulmonar; ARCAPA

Las anomalías de las arterias coronarias son una condición clínica de muy baja incidencia y de estas el origen anómalo de la arteria coronaria derecha desde el tronco de la arteria pulmonar (ARCAPA) representa cerca de 0,002% en la población general. Se puede asociar a la presencia de otras anomalías cardíacas congénitas. Presentamos el caso de una recién nacida, pretérmino de 33 semanas, gemelar, a la cual se le realiza el diagnóstico de un probable origen anómalo de coronaria derecha en un estudio ecocardiográfico de rutina realizado en la unidad de terapia intensiva. Se confirma el diagnóstico mediante cateterismo cardíaco y se realiza la corrección quirúrgica definitiva a los 6 meses de edad, estando la niña actualmente asintomática y con una calidad de vida normal. Destacamos la baja frecuencia de la ocurrencia de dicha patología, realizamos una revisión sobre los tópicos principales en el desarrollo del árbol vascular coronario y las principales anomalías del mismo. Jerarquizamos la importancia de realizar un estudio ecocardiográfico adecuado como valoración de pacientes internados en unidades de terapia intensiva neonatal.

Coronary artery anomalies are a clinical condition of very low incidence. Out of these, the anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the trunk of the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is estimated to represent 0.002% of the general population. It may be associated with the presence of other congenital cardiac anomalies. The study presents the case of a 33 week preterm newborn twin who is diagnosed with an anomalous origin of the right coronary in a routine echocardiographic study performed in the Intensive Care Unit. The diagnosis is confirmed by cardiac catheterization and definitive surgical correction is performed at 6 months of age, the child being currently asymptomatic and enjoying a normal quality of life. We stand out the low frequency of the occurrence of this pathology. We performed a review of the main topics in the development of the coronary vascular tree and their main anomalies. We emphasize on the importance of performing an adequate Echocardiographic study as an assessment of patients admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

As anomalias das artérias coronárias representam uma condição clínica de incidência muito baixa; e a origem anômala da artéria coronária direita do tronco da artéria pulmonar (ARCAPA) representa somente uma estimativa de 0,002% na população geral. Pode estar associada à presença de outras anomalias cardíacas congênitas. Apresentamos o caso de um recém-nascido, prematuro de 33 semanas, gêmeo, diagnosticado com provável origem anômala de coronária direita em estudo ecocardiográfico de rotina realizado na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva. Confirmou-se o diagnóstico através de cateterismo cardíaco e realizou-se a correção cirúrgica definitiva aos 6 meses de idade; a doença atualmente é assintomática e a menina tem uma qualidade de vida normal. Ressaltamos a baixa frequência da ocorrência da referida patologia; realizamos uma revisão dos principais tópicos no desenvolvimento da árvore vascular coronariana e suas principais anomalias. Destacamos a importância de realizar um estudo ecocardiográfico adequado como estratégia de avaliação de pacientes internados em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal.

Two Rare Vascular Rings With Ductal Origin of the Left Pulmonary Artery: A Previously Unrecognized Syndrome?

We report two neonates with distal ductal origin of the left pulmonary artery who also had rare vascular rings comprised of a left aortic arch and right arterial duct with a midline/rightward descending aorta. To the best of our knowledge, this association has not previously been described, although other abnormalities of the left pulmonary artery in the setting of vascular rings have been reported. We review the embryology, utility of imaging, and clinical course.

Multimodal Imaging of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery in a 75-Year-Old Woman.

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is rare and typically results in mitral regurgitation, ventricular arrhythmias, heart failure, and sudden death. The condition most often manifests itself in early childhood, but some individuals are diagnosed much later. We describe the case of a 75-year-old woman with heart failure in whom stepwise multimodal imaging revealed anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery.

Evaluation of anomalous coronary arteries from the pulmonary artery

Abstract Objective: This study evaluated clinical and diagnostic findings, treatment methods, and follow-up of cases of anomalous coronary arteries from the pulmonary artery. Methods: The study included all cases diagnosed with anomalous coronary arteries from the pulmonary artery between January 2012 and January 2016. Data from patients’ demographic characteristics, electrocardiography, echocardiography, angiographic findings, operation, intensive care unit stay, and follow-up were evaluated. Results: The study included 12 patients (8 male, 4 female), 10 with anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) and 2 with anomalous right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA). Median age at diagnosis was 4 months (range, 1 month - 10 years old) and median weight was 5.5 kg (range, 3-30 kg). The most common complaints were murmur (n=7) and respiratory distress (n=5). In 4 cases, the initial diagnosis was dilated cardiomyopathy. Electrocardiographs were pathologic in all cases. Echocardiographic examination revealed medium to severe mitral valve regurgitation in 4 cases and reduced (< 40%) ejection fraction in 6 patients. Of the 12 patients, 8 underwent direct implantation of the left coronary artery into the aorta, 2 underwent implantation of the right coronary artery into the aorta, and the remaining 2 underwent a Takeuchi procedure. There were no early mortalities. Median hospital stay was 20 days (range, 5-35 days). Median follow-up duration was 18 months (range, 5-36 months), and no cases required further surgery during follow-up. Conclusions: Anomalous coronary arteries from the pulmonary artery can be successfully repaired providing there is early diagnosis and effective, appropriate intensive care unit follow-up. Therefore, coronary artery origins should be evaluated carefully, especially in cases with dilated cardiomyopathies.

Unilateral absence of pulmonary artery associated with contralateral lung cancer.

Unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery (UAPA) is a rare congenital cardiac malformation that is often associated with other cardiovascular deformities. Surgical repair of this rare condition is usually performed only on the abnormal lung. The occurrence of lung cancer in association with UAPA is even rarer and clinical experience is very limited. This report aims to describe a case of unilateral absence of right pulmonary artery that was complicated by primary carcinoma of the contralateral lung. A left lower lobectomy was performed despite the absence of the right pulmonary artery and repeated decreases in the arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were encountered intraoperatively. The current case provides insights into the operative tolerability and the foreseeable ominous prognosis after excision of the normal lung in patients with UAPA and highlights the importance of the clinical awareness of this potentially lethal congenital anomaly in light of its extreme rarity, which may facilitate better diagnosis and treatment of such patients.

Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) in adult age: A 5-case series successfully repaired with surgery / Origen anómalo de la coronaria izquierda en la arteria pulmonar (ALCAPA) en la edad adulta: Una serie de 5 casos reparados con éxito con cirugía

Objective: To describe conduct, evolution and surgical treatment of ALCAPA in adult patients. Material and methods: Series of five cases, > eighteen years old. Clinical data (including surgery and follow-up), and echocardiographic/hemodynamic studies were reviewed. Results: The series comprised four women (80%) and a man (20%), with a mean age of 38.2 (range 18-65) years. Myocardial ischemia was found in three patients (60%), detection of a cardiac murmur in one patient (20%) and aborted sudden death in one patient (20%). Physical examination was normal in every case. Two patients (40%) presented grade II cardiomegaly and venocapillary pulmonary hypertension. In three cases, subendocardial ischemia was found on the EKG without necrosis evidence. Echocardiogram was performed in every patient. On the short axis window turbulent (mosaic) retrograde flow on left interventricular septum and left coronary artery absence was documented. Myocardial scintigraphy was performed on four patients finding moderate to severe anterolateral ischemia. CT angiography was performed on 80% of cases. In 40% of patients, left ventricular end diastolic pressure was elevated in cardiac catheterization. Surgical repair was successful in every case. Coronary reimplantation was performed on two patients, Takeuchi procedure was performed on two patients and revascularization with an internal mammary artery-to-anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery procedure in one patient. After 48 months of follow-up, every patient is alive in functional class I. Conclusions: Natural history of ALCAPA includes chronic ischemia, ventricular dysfunction and severe arrhythmias that could lead to death. There are very few cases in adults and the likelihood of reaching this age depends on collateral circulation provided by the right coronary artery. This was found in each case in this series, documented by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. Surgical procedures for this entity include coronary reimplantation, Takeuchi procedure and internal mammary artery-to-anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery procedure (performed in one patient on this series). Prognosis is good, as long as the congenital defect is corrected.

Objetivo: Describir el comportamiento, evolución y tratamiento quirúrgico de ALCAPA en pacientes adultos. Material y métodos: Serie de cinco casos, mayores de 18 años de edad. Se revisaron los datos clínicos, ecocardiográficos, hemodinámicos, quirúrgicos y del seguimiento. Resultados: La serie comprendió cuatro mujeres (80%) y un varón (20%), con edad promedio de 38.2 años (rango 18-65 años). Se encontró isquemia miocárdica en 60% de los casos, detección de soplo en 20% y muerte súbita abortada en el 20%. La exploración física fue normal en todos los casos. Dos pacientes con cardiomegalia grado II e hipertensión venocapilar. En tres casos el ECG mostró isquemia subendocárdica pero sin evidencia de necrosis. El ecocardiograma reveló flujo turbulento retrógrado en septum interventricular y ausencia de la arteria coronaria izquierda en el eje corto. El gammagrama cardiaco fue positivo para isquemia, moderada a severa en región anterolateral. Se realizó angiotomografía en 80% de los casos. En 40% de los pacientes, la presión diastólica final del ventrículo izquierdo se encontró elevada en el cateterismo cardiaco. La cirugía fue exitosa en todos los casos. La técnica quirúrgica de elección fue el reimplante de la arteria coronaria en dos pacientes, procedimiento de Takeuchi (túnel intrapulmonar) en dos casos y en un solo caso con revascularización con arteria mamaria interna. Después de 48 meses de seguimiento todos los pacientes están vivos y en clase funcional I. Conclusiones: La historia natural de la ALPACA implica isquemia crónica y disfunción ventricular además de arritmias severas que pueden llevar a la muerte. Son pocos los adultos con esta entidad y depende del grado de circulación colateral a partir de la coronaria derecha, esto se encontró en todos nuestros casos y están documentados en el ecocardiograma y confirmados con el cateterismo cardiaco. Las opciones terapéuticas quirúrgicas incluyen el reimplante de la arteria coronaria o bien la revascularización miocárdica con puentes de arteria mamaria. Como ocurrió en una sola de nuestras pacientes que fue la de mayor edad. El pronóstico es bueno, siempre y cuando se corrija la lesión congénita.

Massive Pulmonary Artery Aneurysm Causing Left Main Coronary Artery Compression in the Absence of Pulmonary Hypertension.

We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who presented with classic symptoms of stable angina. Cardiac images and catheterization results revealed absent pulmonary valve syndrome and compression of the left main coronary artery by a massively dilated pulmonary artery aneurysm. The patient's anginal symptoms were relieved after pulmonary arterioplasty. Others have described proximal left main coronary artery compression in the presence of a dilated and hypertensive pulmonary artery. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which a pulmonary artery aneurysm caused left main coronary insufficiency in the absence of pulmonary hypertension-a clinically important complication of congenital pulmonary valve-related pulmonary arteriopathy.

Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery: Diagnoses and Surgical Results in 12 Pediatric Patients.

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital condition. It responds well to early diagnosis and treatment, but otherwise the prognosis is poor. We present our case series of 12 patients (mean age, 2 ± 2.58 yr; age range, 2 mo-8 yr), emphasizing the diagnostic process and discussing our surgical results. The diagnosis of ALCAPA should be suspected in infants who have dilated cardiomyopathy with electrocardiographic changes that suggest ischemia, and in older children who have isolated mitral regurgitation. When clinical suspicion is high, the results of 2-dimensional echocardiography combined with color-flow Doppler studies in expert hands can establish the diagnosis, thus avoiding angiography in critically ill infants. The treatment of choice in our patients was transfer and reimplantation of the left coronary artery onto the ascending aorta. There were 2 deaths: both were infants in extremis who underwent emergency surgery. An older child with severe ventricular dysfunction was given mechanical ventricular assistance and then heart transplantation. As of this report, all 10 survivors remained well and asymptomatic.

Clinical outcomes of slide tracheoplasty in congenital tracheal stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: Treatment of long-segment congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) remains challenging. Recently, slide tracheoplasty has become the standard approach in many centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of slide tracheoplasty. METHODS: Between 2004 and 2011, 18 patients underwent slide tracheoplasty in our centre. The median patient age was 2.5 months (range, 18 days-4 years) and the median body weight was 4.2 (range, 2.2-17.7) kg at operation. Eleven (61%) patients were on a mechanical ventilator prior to surgery. The median stenotic segment estimated by a computed tomography scan was 52% of the length of total trachea (range, 18-84%). Five (28%) patients had proximal bronchial stenosis, 3 (17%) had tracheal bronchus, 2 (11%) had tracheobronchomalacia and 1 (6%) had agenesis of the right lung. Thirteen (72%) patients had a combined cardiac anomaly, including 8 patients with a pulmonary artery sling. Ten (56%) patients had associated extracardiac anomalies. Slide tracheoplasty was performed on cardiopulmonary bypass in all patients, and cardiac lesions were corrected. RESULTS: There was no early death. The patient with agenesis of the right lung died of left bronchial stenosis 3 months after the surgery. Two (11%) patients were reoperated on for tracheal restenosis. In the other 15 patients, the median duration of ventilator support was 8 (range, 5-34) days and the median duration of hospitalization was 31 (range, 12-79) days. During the follow-up (median duration of 17 months; range, 2-77 months), 13 (72%) patients were symptom-free and 2 (11%) underwent tracheostomy for tracheomalacia. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study, slide tracheoplasty seems to be an effective technique for CTS. However, shortening of the trachea after reconstruction may give rise to recurrent obstruction.

Aortopulmonary fistula: a rare complication of an aortic aneurysm.

In a patient with degenerative disease of the thoracic aorta, an aortopulmonary fistula with an aortic aneurysm after trauma is a rare occurrence. Few cases of successful surgical management have been reported. Aortopulmonary fistula should be suspected in a patient who has an aortic aneurysm and exhibits signs of congestive heart failure. Herein, we report the case of a 50-year-old man who underwent surgical repair of an ascending aortic aneurysm with fistula into the main pulmonary artery. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention were crucial to the successful outcome.

ALCAPA with the ectopic orifice at the non-facing sinus: successful anatomic repair by creation of an autologous extrapulmonary tunnel.

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital defect. This anomaly leads to a coronary hypoperfusion phenomenon and to substantial left ventricular dysfunction caused by abnormal perfusion of the left ventricle. The optimal surgical management of such cases is not clearly established. Here, we report the successful anatomic repair of ALCAPA arising from the non-facing sinus of Valsalva of the pulmonary artery in a 5-kg patient. In order to perform the repair, we created an autologous extrapulmonary tunnel (from a pulmonary artery flap and autologous pericardium), which we implanted into the ascending aorta. Because of post-cardiotomy heart failure, we implanted an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device during the same procedure. After recovery of the failing heart, the device was easily ex-planted, and the patient was discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 30.

High-pressure pulmonary artery aneurysm and unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis in an adult.

The presence of a pulmonary artery aneurysm, major aortopulmonary and coronary-pulmonary collateral vessels, and severe pulmonary hypertension in an adult with unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis and previous patent ductus arteriosus ligation is very rare. A 34-year-old man experienced these conditions. When he was 10 years old, catheterization and angiography revealed right pulmonary artery agenesis, dilation of the main pulmonary artery, multiple collateral vessels extending from the aorta to the right pulmonary system, and a patent ductus arteriosus (shunt ratio, 3.57) that was then ligated; the other conditions were not corrected. This adult patient was in New York Heart Association functional class II; mild central cyanosis was detected only during exercise. The right pulmonary arterial system was seen only at the right hilar area via collateral vessels from the subclavian, bronchial, internal mammary, and intercostal arteries. Angiography revealed collateral vessels from the right and circumflex coronary arteries to the right pulmonary system. The right intraparenchymal pulmonary arterial systems were patent but of small diameter (pulmonary artery pressure, 85 mmHg; ratio of peak right-to-left ventricular pressure, 0.94; peak pulmonary pressure unresponsive to 100% oxygen). Pulmonary vascular resistance was not estimated because of the risk of aneurysmal rupture. We concluded that irreversible pulmonary hypertension had developed (delayed by the patent ductus arteriosus ligation in childhood) and that the patient's only chance for survival was heart-lung transplantation. To sustain the patient until surgery, we administered sildenafil. Herein, we describe the vascular conditions that accompany unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery, and therapeutic methods.