Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Cor Triatriatum

Cor triatriatum is a congenital cardiac anomaly in which all pulmonary veins return to an accessory chamber. This chamber is connected to the small left atrium through an orifice. In large communications, symptoms are manifested in Iate adulthood. However, in patients with very small orifice, they occur in early infancy. Echocardiographic evaluation with M-mode. two-dimensional and Doppler techniques of a 3-month-old girl who developed congestive heart failure and pulmonary venous congestion revealed the presence of cor triatriatum. Echocardiographically, right atrium, right ventricle and pul-monary arteries were dilated. Pulmonary veins were draining into an accessory chamber which was connected to a small left atrium via an orifice. Pulmonary wedge pressure was 15 mmHg. Radiopaque material injection into the pulmonary artery showed dilated pulmonary veins which drained into the accessory left atrial chamber. Although the surgical procedure was completed successfully, the patient died of cardiovascular collapse the next day.