Persistent left superior vena cava with coronary sinus and left atrial connections

A 65-yr-old woman presented with severe congestive cardiac failure and physical signs of an atrial septal defect. Investigation by cardiac catheterisation and cross-sectional echocardiography showed a persistent left superior vena cava draining through an enlarged coronary sinus into the right atrium. In addition, the left atrium was connected to the coronary sinus by two defects in its lateral wall. The atrial septum was intact. The physiological result of this rare anatomical abnormality was a large left-to-right shunt with a small right-to-left component. The defects were closed surgically.