Respiratory Viral Infection Unmasking Congenital Heart Disease

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Congenital Heart Disease
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Congenital heart disease impacts approximately 1% of newborns annually.
• Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare condition, accounting for 0.25%-0.50% of congenital cardiac diseases.
• Untreated ALCAPA has a mortality rate as high as 90% in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of ALCAPA in an infant presenting with respiratory illness.
• To highlight the diagnostic utility of echocardiography and CT angiography in ALCAPA.
• To emphasize the importance of timely surgical intervention and post-operative care.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 4-month-old infant.
• Diagnostic imaging included chest radiography, echocardiography, and gated computed tomography angiography (CTA).
• Surgical correction and post-operative circulatory support were performed.

Main Results:

• The infant presented with cardiomegaly and severe left ventricular dysfunction.
• Echocardiography suggested ALCAPA, which was confirmed by CTA.
• Successful surgical correction and recovery with circulatory support were achieved.

Conclusions:

• ALCAPA is a critical congenital heart defect requiring prompt diagnosis and management.
• Multimodality imaging plays a vital role in diagnosing ALCAPA.
• Urgent surgical repair and appropriate post-operative care are essential for favorable outcomes in ALCAPA patients.