Right coronary fistula and aneurysm draining to the right atrium

Erkki Pesonen1, Peter Hochbergs

  • 1Pediatric Cardiology, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. erkki.pesonen@skane.se

Insights

A continuous heart murmur in a child indicated a coronary fistula, a condition where a blood vessel bypasses the heart. Echocardiography diagnosed the fistula, and interventional catheterization successfully closed it.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Coronary fistulas are rare congenital anomalies.
  • A continuous heart murmur can be an indicator of abnormal blood flow, including coronary fistulas.

Observation:

  • A 3-year-old boy presented with a continuous heart murmur.
  • Echocardiography revealed a dilated right coronary artery, suggesting a coronary fistula.
  • Further echocardiography identified the fistula extending to the right atrium via an aneurysm.

Findings:

  • Echocardiography provided detailed anatomic visualization of the coronary fistula.
  • Accidental dissection and thrombosis during interventional heart catheterization led to fistula closure.

Implications:

  • Echocardiography is a valuable tool for diagnosing coronary fistulas.
  • Interventional heart catheterization can be an effective treatment for coronary fistulas.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Coronary Circulation01:21

Coronary Circulation

The heart, an organ critical to survival, gets nourishment not from the blood it pumps but from a separate circulation system known as coronary circulation. This is the shortest circulation in the body and is responsible for supplying the heart with the nutrients it needs to function effectively.
Coronary circulation begins at the base of the aorta, where two main arteries arise—the left and right coronary arteries. These arteries encircle the heart in the coronary sulcus and supply the...
Chambers of the Heart01:16

Chambers of the Heart

The human heart is a complex organ made up of four chambers: the right and left atria and the right and left ventricles. These internal chambers are separated by partitions known as the interatrial and interventricular septa. The exterior of the heart features a groove known as the coronary sulcus that demarcates the atria from the ventricles, while the anterior and posterior interventricular sulci distinguish between the two ventricles.
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...
Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization01:21

Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization

Right Heart Catheterization: An OverviewRight heart catheterization is an invasive diagnostic procedure that measures right-sided cardiac and pulmonary artery pressures, calculates cardiac output, and identifies intracardiac shunts. It provides detailed hemodynamic data essential for diagnosing and managing various cardiovascular conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension.Access SitesCommon access sites for right heart catheterization include the internal jugular vein in the neck region, the...
Overview of Systemic Veins01:11

Overview of Systemic Veins

Systemic veins are crucial blood vessels that return deoxygenated blood from various body tissues back to the heart. There are three systemic veins that return deoxygenated blood to the heart, they are as follows.
The coronary sinus, the heart's principal vein, resides in the coronary sulcus on the heart's posterior aspect. This broad venous channel receives nearly all venous blood from the myocardium, the heart muscle. It is fed by three primary veins: the great cardiac vein, the middle...
Physiology of the Heart: The Cardiac Cycle01:18

Physiology of the Heart: The Cardiac Cycle

The cardiac cycle describes the events from one heartbeat to the next. It includes three main phases: diastole, atrial systole, and ventricular systole, all driven by changes in chamber pressures and the function of heart valves.
Diastole: The Relaxation Phase
During diastole, all four heart chambers relax. The atrioventricular (AV) valves open, and the semilunar valves close. This phase sees the lowest chamber pressures, promoting ventricular filling. Venous blood enters the heart through the...
Anatomy of the Heart01:27

Anatomy of the Heart

The human heart is made up of three layers of tissue that are surrounded by the pericardium, a membrane that protects and confines the heart. The outermost layer, closest to the pericardium, is the epicardium. The pericardial cavity separates the pericardium from the epicardium. Beneath the epicardium is the myocardium, the middle layer, and the endocardium, the innermost layer. There are four chambers of the heart: the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left atrium, and the left ventricle.