IMR Press / RCM / Volume 23 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.31083/j.rcm2302046
Open Access Review
“Absent” unilateral pulmonary arteries aren't absent, but disconnected. Review of the current literature based on 4 cases
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1 Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children’s Hospital, 3015CN Rotterdam, Netherlands
2 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
*Correspondence: t.krasemann@erasmusmc.nl (Thomas Krasemann)
Academic Editor: Peter A. McCullough
Rev. Cardiovasc. Med. 2022, 23(2), 46; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.rcm2302046
Submitted: 2 August 2021 | Revised: 23 September 2021 | Accepted: 30 September 2021 | Published: 25 January 2022
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: Disconnected unilateral pulmonary arteries are frequently misdiagnosed as “absent”. They typically arise from the base of the innominate artery and are fed by an aberrant arterial duct. If diagnosed early enough, they can be reconnected with catheter techniques even after closure of this aberrant duct. Consecutive surgical anatomical correction at a later stage is possible. Methods: Four cases illustrate the anatomical findings on computed tomography and angiography, all show an outpouching at the base of the brachiocephalic artery. Results: The therapeutic approach consisted of stenting of the aberrant ductus and consecutive surgery. In the oldest patient, 13 years, such an approach was impossible. Conclusion: If identified early in life, disconnected pulmonary arteries can be recruited with catheter techniques, and reconnected surgically at a later stage. It is not yet known if this approach prevents pulmonary damage, which is frequently seen in older untreated patients.

Keywords
Disconnected pulmonary artery
Aberrant arterial duct
Recanalization
Catheter techniques
Figures
Fig. 1.
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