Echocardiographic demonstration of an unusual pulmonary venous pathway in a patient with left ventricular inflow obstruction.

Abstract

A newborn infant with mitral atresia and a restrictive patent foramen ovale had normal pulmonary venous connection to the left atrium demonstrated by echocardiography. However, pulmonary venous blood then coursed through an unusual pathway in the roof of the left atrium into the right atrium. This case illustrates the need for the echocardiographer to be reminded of and then search for unusual drainage pathways in cases of left ventricular inflow obstruction, even when the pulmonary veins connect normally.