Positional desaturation due to persistent left superior vena cava draining into the left atrium

• DOI: 10.1007/s00380-015-0643-7
• Publication Date: 2015-02-05T11:38:59Z
• Authors: Kousuke Shirakawa; Akio Kawamura; Naoto Muraoka; Mitsushige Murata; Hikaru Tsuruta; Ryo Aeba; Keiichi Fukuda
• Keywords: Heart Defects, Congenital; Male; Cardiac Catheterization; Vena Cava, Superior; Computed Tomography Angiography; Posture; Coronary Sinus; Hemodynamics; Coronary Angiography; 3. Good health; Oxygen; 03 medical and health sciences; Treatment Outcome; 0302 clinical medicine; Coronary Circulation; Multidetector Computed Tomography; Humans; Heart Atria; Oximetry; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Biomarkers

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare congenital anomaly whose prevalence is 0.3 % of general population. The majority of PLSVC drain into right atrium (RA) through the coronary sinus without clinical harm. However, in about 10 % of patients with PLSVC, it drains into left atrium (LA) causing right-to-left shunt. Here, we present a 60-year-old male patient with a PLSVC draining into LA, who developed dyspnea and desaturation depending on the body position after trans-catheter coil embolization of coronary to pulmonary artery fistulas. PLSVC draining into LA should be included in the differential diagnosis of positional desaturation.