Scimitar syndrome in an adult: diagnosis and surgical treatment

A 51-year-old woman, presenting with increasing dyspnoea on exertion was admitted for surgery of a right sided partial anomalous pulmonary venous return. Contrast enhanced electron-beam tomography (EBT) presented a hypoplastic right lower lobe and confirmed the diagnosis of a so-called scimitar syndrome. Surgery consisted of creation of an atrial septal defect, transposition of the anomalous vein and reocclusion of the artificial septal defect with a Dacron patch. One year after surgery, the patient's physical strength increased to a normal level without dyspnoea, while three-dimensional imaging reconstructed from EBT demonstrated an intact operative situs.