Surgical Repair of Cor Triatriatum Sinister: The Mayo Clinic 50-Year Experience

Abstract

Cor triatriatum is a rare congenital cardiac defect in which the atrium is divided into 2 chambers by a membrane causing obstruction to the blood flow in either the left atrium (cor triatriatum sinister) or the right atrium (cor triatriatum dexter) eventually leading to cardiac failure. We sought to review our surgical experience with cor triatriatum sinister. Twenty-five patients underwent surgical correction of cor triatriatum between May 1960 and September 2012. There were 11 males and 14 females with a mean age of 27.4 years (age range, 1 day to 73 years). All patients underwent excision of cor triatriatum membrane using cardiopulmonary bypass. Twenty patients (80%) required concomitant cardiac surgical procedures. There was no early mortality. None of the patients had any residual atrial obstruction. Two infants who had concomitant repair of complex congenital anomalies died at 2 and 5 months postoperatively after discharge from hospital. Kaplan-Meier survival at 10 years was 83%. All patients were in New York Heart Association class I or II at a mean follow-up of 12.8 years (maximum 44 years). Surgical repair of cor triatriatum provides satisfactory early and long-term survival with low risk for additional intervention. Cor triatriatum with complex congenital anomalies may be associated with adverse outcome.