Cor triatriatum sinistrum: surgical experience in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: Cor triatriatum sinister, more commonly referred to as cor triatriatum (CT), is characterized by a common pulmonary venous chamber (proximal chamber) separated from the left atrium (distal chamber) by a fibromuscular septum. This report of our experience updates the surgical results of this anomaly in the Asian population.

METHODS: Between January 1992 and May 2005, nine patients with cor triatriatum underwent surgical correction at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. We retrospectively analyzed their cardiac anatomy, clinical data, surgical procedures and follow-up data.

RESULTS: The mean age at surgery was 260+/-215 days (range, 20-790 days), with the exception of one patient who underwent surgery at 31 years of age. Three patients had a partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection, one had a complete atrioventricular canal defect, and one had another major complex cardiac anomaly. Eight corrective operations and one palliative operation were performed. There was no surgical mortality. The mean follow-up time was 52.1+/-43.6 months (range, 17-139 months).

CONCLUSION: Our findings show that surgical correction is efficient and safe for this rare cardiac anomaly.