Absent left pulmonary vein without anomalous connection: Diagnosis and management in the newborn

Abstract

Unilateral atresia of the pulmonary vein is an uncommon condition and is often associated with partial anomalous venous connection. Various forms of alternative channels have been described.l-” While the term “atresia” is used to denote the existence of a variable size and length of cordlike pulmonary veins without any lumen, “absence” is used here to denote that no such connection exists between the pulmonary hilum and left atrium, as a result of either agenesis or involution. To our knowledge, only two cases of unilateral absence of the pulmonary vein without anomalous connection have been reported in the English literature.4 We report a case of unilateral pulmonary edema caused by an absent left pulmonary vein without anomalous connection, diagnosed and managed successfully by surgery in a newborn. A full-term male infant (birth weight 3011 gm) was born by emergency cesarean section because of fetal bradycardia to a 23-year-old gravida I, white female. The child was