Partial anomalous venous connection: A case report illustrating diagnostic techniques

Abstract

A case in which the right pulmonary circulation drained into the inferior vena cava adjacent to the right atrium is presented. Intravenous angiocardiography demonstrated the anomalous venous pattern. Cardiac catheterization through the basilic vein revealed a left-to-right shunt at the atrial level. Catheterization through the saphenous vein demonstrated an interatrial septal defect and permitted passage of the catheter into the aberrant vein where regional venography was performed. The problem of differentiating partial aberrant pulmonary venous connection from an interatrial septal defect and, more particularly, of diagnosing interatrial defect in the presence of an anomalous vein is discussed.