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Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return
What is it?
Total anomalous pulmonary venous return is a birth defect in which the lung veins do not attach to the left atrium (chamber where the blood comes in from the lungs).
In the heart, four veins connect from the lungs to the back wall of the left atrium. These veins are called the pulmonary veins. Blood passes through these veins from the lungs to the heart. Then the heart pumps the blood throughout the body.
Normally, two veins connect from the right lung and two from the left lung. In this condition, these lung veins join to form one common vein that goes to the right atrium.
The right atrium is where oxygen-poor blood comes into the heart from the body and sends it to the right ventricle where blood is pumped out to the body.
With this condition, the right ventricle and pulmonary artery (the artery that carries blood from the heart to the lungs) will both become larger because they are handling lots of blood.
The baby could be have trouble breathing or breathe fast. Or if there is a blockage, the baby could be blue.
There are three main types of total anomalous pulmonary venous return: supracardiac, intracardiac, and infracardiac. There may also be a mixed type, in which two or more types exist.
In all cases, a hole is present between the septum of the upper chambers of the heart called an atrial septal defect.
How is it treated?
This condition can only be repaired by surgery. In the operation, the back of the left atrium is opened, the common veins are attached to the wall of the left atrium, and the abnormal blood vessel is closed off to the right side of the heart.
The atrial septal defect is also closed at this time.