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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Cox-Maze IV Procedure Concomitant with Valvular Surgery In Situs Inversus Dextrocardia: A Single-Center Experience in China
Published on: February 11, 2022
Coronary artery anatomy in complete transposition with situs solitus and dextrocardia
Chien-Hui Lee1, Ing-Sh Chiu, Chien-Chih Chang
1Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Insights
This study reveals unique coronary artery patterns in complete transposition with dextrocardia, identifying a single coronary artery in the left sinus. This finding aids in predicting coronary anatomy based on situs and aortopulmonary rotation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Congenital Heart Disease
Background:
- Complete transposition with situs solitus/levocardia (CTSSL) coronary anatomy is understood.
- Coronary artery anatomy in complete transposition with situs solitus/dextrocardia (CTSSD) remains undocumented.
- Arterial switch operations require detailed knowledge of coronary anatomy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document and analyze coronary artery anatomy in CTSSD.
- To correlate CTSSD coronary patterns with those in CTSSL and complete transposition with situs inversus/dextrocardia (CTSID).
- To investigate the relationship between apicocaval ipsilaterality, aortopulmonary rotation, and coronary patterns.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 3 CTSSD cases from 1988-2007.
- Comparison with 276 CTSSL and 8 CTSID cases.
- Angiography and surgical intervention data used.
- Aortic sinus pattern on lateral angiogram defined aortopulmonary rotation.
- Fisher's exact test for statistical significance.
Main Results:
- All 3 CTSSD cases exhibited a single coronary artery piercing the left sinus with the right coronary artery in the posterior atrioventricular groove.
- In contrast, 284 cases without apicocaval ipsilaterality (CTSSL/CTSID) had the left circumflex artery in the posterior atrioventricular groove.
- CTSSD showed significantly less left lateral aortic rotation compared to CTSSL/CTSID with similar coronary patterns (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Apicocaval ipsilaterality in CTSSD is associated with a distinct coronary artery pattern.
- This pattern involves a single coronary artery originating from the left sinus.
- Predicting coronary anatomy in the posterior atrioventricular groove is possible based on situs, aiding surgical planning.
Abstract:
The coronary artery anatomy of complete transposition with situs solitus/levocardia (CTSSL) has been well elucidated in the current era of arterial switch operation. However, coronary artery for complete transposition with situs solitus/dextrocardia (CTSSD) has never been documented. Coronary anatomy of transposition and aortopulmonary rotation were identified by angiography or surgical intervention from 1988 to 2007 at our hospital. The degree of aortopulmonary rotation was defined by the aortic sinus pattern on lateral angiogram. Apicocaval ipsilaterality was defined as situs solitus/dextrocardia or situs inversus/levocardia. The coronary artery anatomy in 3 cases of CTSSD was analyzed and correlated with those patients having transposition with the same coronary pattern but without apicocaval ipsilaterality, i.e., 276 cases with CTSSL and 8 cases with complete transposition with situs inversus/dextrocardia (CTSID). Fisher's exact test was used to determine statistical significance. All three cases with CTSSD (with apicocaval ipsilaterality) had a single coronary artery piercing into the left-hand sinus with a right coronary artery in the posterior atrioventricular groove, whereas all 284 cases without apicocaval ipsilaterality (CTSSL or CTSID) had the left circumflex artery in the posterior atrioventricular groove. The aorta was significantly less left laterally rotated in CTSSD than the other 2 cases of CTSSL and 3 cases of CTSSD with a similar coronary pattern (p < 0.05). One may anticipate coronary artery anatomy in the posterior atrioventricular groove based on apicocaval ipsilaterality, which in turn decreases aortopulmonary rotation to predict the central coronary pattern.
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