Anomalous Origin of Left Pulmonary Artery Branch from the Aorta with Fallot's Tetralogy

Introduction

An anomalous origin of the left pulmonary artery branch from the ascending aorta is a rare anomaly, usually reported in small series together with an anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta, which is also rare but encountered five to eight times more frequently. This defect should be diagnosed in newborns with heart failure and increased pulmonary flow. Unless surgically repaired, the condition is fatal in most cases due to irreversible pulmonary hypertension, which can be present at a very early age. Most patients therefore undergo operation at the age of less than one month. We report the case of a 10-year-old boy diagnosed with an anomalous origin of the left pulmonary artery branch from the ascending aorta with Fallot's tetralogy; it is the first such report in China.

References

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