Doppler echocardiographic description of double-inlet left ventricle in an Arabian horse

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Cardiology
• Congenital Heart Disease
• Equine Medicine

Background:

• Univentricular atrioventricular (AV) connections are complex congenital cardiac anomalies where both AV valves empty into a single ventricular chamber.
• While documented in humans, double-inlet ventricle malformations are exceptionally rare in veterinary literature.
• This case report details a specific type: a double-inlet left ventricle in an equine patient.

Observation:

• An Arabian horse presented with a rare congenital cardiac anomaly: a double-inlet univentricular connection of left ventricular type.
• Additional findings included a hypoplastic subpulmonary right ventricle, two muscular ventricular septal defects, and a stenotic mitral valve.
• Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography was utilized for diagnosis and hemodynamic assessment.

Findings:

• The study successfully diagnosed a double-inlet left ventricle in an equine patient using Doppler echocardiography.
• The diagnostic imaging provided a comprehensive assessment of the intracardiac hemodynamics associated with the complex cardiac malformation.
• This case highlights the presence of multiple cardiac defects alongside the primary univentricular connection.

Implications:

• Doppler echocardiography is a valuable noninvasive tool for diagnosing congenital univentricular AV connections in horses.
• This case expands the veterinary understanding of rare congenital cardiac anomalies in equine populations.
• Accurate antemortem diagnosis through echocardiography can inform clinical management and prognosis for affected animals.