Related Experiment Videos
Occult pulmonary artery associated with failure to thrive and recurrent pneumonia--a case report
1Department of Pediatrics (Pediatric Cardiology) and Surgery, University of Minnesota Hospitals, Minneapolis.
Insights
Occult right pulmonary artery is a rare heart defect causing failure to thrive and recurrent infections. Surgical repair led to normal growth and development in a one-year-old boy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Congenital Heart Defects
Background:
- Occult pulmonary artery is an uncommon cardiovascular defect.
- Associated symptoms include recurrent pulmonary infections and congestive heart failure.
- Broncho-pulmonary dysplasia can mask other underlying conditions.
Abstract:
Occult pulmonary artery is an uncommon cardiovascular defect. Associated symptoms include recurrent pulmonary infections and congestive heart failure. The authors describe a one-year-old boy initially diagnosed as having broncho-pulmonary dysplasia who developed severe failure to thrive, recurrent pneumonias, and pulmonary hypertension. The presence of an occult right pulmonary artery was suspected by lung perfusion scan and diagnosed by cardiac catheterization and angiography. After surgical repair, his clinical course improved and his growth and development were normal. This case demonstrates the importance of including occult pulmonary artery in the differential diagnosis of infants with failure to thrive associated with recurrent pulmonary infection.