Journal Information
Vol. 34. Issue 5.
Pages 365-366 (May 2015)
Vol. 34. Issue 5.
Pages 365-366 (May 2015)
Image in Cardiology
Open Access
Severe reversible left ventricular dysfunction in an infant
Disfunção ventricular grave mas reversível no lactente
Visits
7322
Ana R. Araújo
Corresponding author
ana.araujo.silva@hotmail.com

Corresponding author.
, Inês C. Mendes, Pedro Magro, Ana Teixeira, José P. Neves, Rui Anjos
Serviço de Cardiologia Pediátrica, Hospital de Santa Cruz, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, Carnaxide, Portugal
This item has received

Under a Creative Commons license
Article information
Full Text
Download PDF
Statistics
Figures (4)
Show moreShow less
Full Text

An eight-month old female infant had a history of poor weight gain from the age of four months and two bouts of pneumonia, at five and eight months. On physical examination she presented polypnea, S3 and a grade III/VI holosystolic murmur over the apex, radiating to the axilla. The chest X-ray revealed cardiomegaly, with a cardiothoracic index of 60%, and electrocardiography showed >3 mm Q waves in DI, aVL and V7 and T-wave inversion in V5-V7, suggestive of myocardial infarction. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed left ventricular (LV) dilatation and global dysfunction, with LV diastolic diameter (LVDD) 46 mm (Z-score +12.44), fractional shortening (FS) 16% and biplane ejection fraction (EF) 25.4%, severe mitral regurgitation with poor leaflet coaptation, and an anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) (Figures 1 and 2). The patient was referred for surgery on the basis of the information obtained from these exams. Surgical correction consisted of reimplantation of the left coronary artery in the aorta (Figures 3 and 4). The surgery and postoperative period were uneventful. The patient was discharged eight days later, with reduced LV dimensions and significant improvement in global systolic function (LVDD 33 mm, Z-score +5.22, FS 23% and biplane EF 41.3%). Three months after the surgery, the child was clinically well with normal ventricular function.

Figure 1.

Transthoracic echocardiogram in parasternal short-axis view, showing an anomalous left coronary artery (arrow) from the pulmonary artery. ao: aorta; ap: pulmonary artery.

(0.07MB).
Figure 2.

Transthoracic echocardiogram in parasternal view, showing diastolic retrograde flow of the left coronary artery (arrow) to the pulmonary artery, causing coronary steal. ao: aorta; ap: pulmonary artery.

(0.08MB).
Figure 3.

Intraoperative photograph, showing the pulmonary artery and left coronary artery (arrow) open. ao: ascending aorta; ap: pulmonary artery.

(0.32MB).
Figure 4.

Intraoperative photograph, showing the left coronary artery (arrow) anastomosed to the ascending aorta and the pulmonary artery open. ao: ascending aorta; ap: pulmonary artery.

(0.26MB).

Although rare, ALCAPA must be excluded as the cause of LV dilatation and dysfunction in newborns and infants, since it can be surgically corrected, with excellent prognosis at this age.

Ethical disclosuresProtection of human and animal subjects

The authors declare that no experiments were performed on humans or animals for this study.

Confidentiality of data

The authors declare that they have followed the protocols of their work center on the publication of patient data.

Right to privacy and informed consent

The authors declare that no patient data appears in this article.

Conflicts of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Please cite this article as: Araújo AR, Mendes IC, Magro P, Teixeira A, Neves JP, Anjos R. Disfunção ventricular grave mas reversível no lactente. Rev Port Cardiol. 2015;34:365–366.

Copyright © 2014. Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia
Download PDF
Idiomas
Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia (English edition)
Article options
Tools
en pt

Are you a health professional able to prescribe or dispense drugs?

Você é um profissional de saúde habilitado a prescrever ou dispensar medicamentos

By checking that you are a health professional, you are stating that you are aware and accept that the Portuguese Journal of Cardiology (RPC) is the Data Controller that processes the personal information of users of its website, with its registered office at Campo Grande, n.º 28, 13.º, 1700-093 Lisbon, telephone 217 970 685 and 217 817 630, fax 217 931 095, and email revista@spc.pt. I declare for all purposes that the information provided herein is accurate and correct.