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Updated: Jul 14, 2025

A Pipeline to Characterize Structural Heart Defects in the Fetal Mouse
Published on: December 16, 2022
Prenatal diagnosis: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome in combination with ventriculo-coronary communication
Yu Jiali1,2,3, Liu Dongmei1,2,3, Dong Jiangli1,2,3
1Department of Ultrasound Diagnosis, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Insights
This study reports a rare case of hypoplastic left heart syndrome with ventriculo-coronary communication diagnosed prenatally. The fetus exhibited unique systolic flow from the left ventricle to the coronary artery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Fetal Medicine
- Congenital Heart Disease
Background:
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and ventriculo-coronary communication (VCC) are exceptionally rare congenital cardiac anomalies.
- Combined occurrence of HLHS and VCC is exceedingly uncommon.
Background:
Both hypoplastic left heart syndrome and ventriculo-coronary communication are extremely rare congenital cardiac conditions.
Case:
The diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome combined with endocardial fibroelastosis and ventriculo-coronary communication was made in a pregnant woman at 24 weeks of gestation. Interestingly, unlike diastolic flow from the coronary artery to the left ventricle in typical ventriculo-coronary communication, this fetus showed a systolic flow from the left ventricle to the coronary artery.
Conclusion:
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to present only a systolic flow signal in hypoplastic left heart syndrome combined with ventriculo-coronary communication in prenatal ultrasonography.
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