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Interventional closure of RPA-to-LA communication in an oligosymptomatic neonate

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Abstract

Direct communication between the right pulmonary artery (RPA) and the left atrium (LA) is a very rare cardiac malformation. Clinical presentation of RPA-to-LA communication depends on the size of the communication, the amount of right-to-left shunt, the patient’s age, and pulmonary vascular resistance. Patients with small communications usually present oligosymptomatic and are diagnosed at an older age. A delay of diagnosis bears the risk of severe complications and needs to be prevented by proper work-up of oligosymptomatic neonates. Treatment of RPA-to-LA communications used to be performed by surgical closure, and the interventional approach has only been established as a less invasive alternative in recent years. Conclusion: Although patients with small RPA-to-LA communications usually present oligosymptomatic, early diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent life-threatening complications.

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Abbreviations

CHD:

Congenital heart disease

LA:

Left atrium

PDA:

Patent arterial duct

RPA:

Right pulmonary artery

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Conflict of interest

All the authors declare no conflict of interest and no financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University Children’s Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse, 758032, Zurich, Switzerland

    Dominik C. Benz, Barbara Burkhardt, Daniel Quandt, Walter Knirsch & Oliver Kretschmar

  2. Division of Cardiology, Ostschweizer Kinderspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Dominik Stambach

Authors
  1. Dominik C. Benz
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  2. Barbara Burkhardt
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  3. Daniel Quandt
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  4. Dominik Stambach
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  5. Walter Knirsch
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  6. Oliver Kretschmar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Walter Knirsch.

Additional information

Communicated by Jaan Toelen

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Benz, D.C., Burkhardt, B., Quandt, D. et al. Interventional closure of RPA-to-LA communication in an oligosymptomatic neonate. Eur J Pediatr 173, 1703–1705 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2337-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2337-z

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