Rare case of right ventricular dilatation associated with anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, sinus venosus atrial septal defect and persistent left superior vena cava

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. e239687
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rees ◽  
Muhammad Tahir ◽  
Syed Jawad Ahmad ◽  
Eduardas Subkovas

A 34-year-old woman was seen in the emergency department for shortness of breath and chest pain. During a pandemic, it is easy to ‘think horses and not zebras’, and with a patient presenting with the classic coronavirus symptoms it would have been easy to jump to that as her diagnosis. After a careful history and examination, it became clear that there was another underlying diagnosis. Chest X-ray, echocardiogram and CT scan revealed marked right ventricular dilatation and pulmonary hypertension, alongside a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). Further investigation with cardiac MRI and coronary angiography at a tertiary centre demonstrated that she not only have a PLSVC but also a partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage and sinus venosus atrial septal defect. This case highlights the importance of considering all differentials and approaching investigations in a logical manner.

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