Total anomalous pulmonary venous return complicated by progressive pulmonary venous stenosis after total repair: Report of one case

Total repair of an infracardiac type total anomalous pulmonary venous return was performed on a 3-day-old female newborn. Echocardiogram study showed a smooth connection between the pulmonary veins and the left atrium one week after the operation, however, later echocardiograms showed a progressive obstruction of the pulmonary veins. The patient died at 50 days of age due to lung congestion. The autopsy revealed severe intima hypertrophy and upstream obstruction in every pulmonary vein, while the anastomosis between the left atrium and the pulmonary venous confluence remained well patent. In view of the high rate of progressive pulmonary venous stenosis after total repair in patients with infracardiac type total anomalous pulmonary venous return, it is advised that the operator should try to mobilize every pulmonary vein, make larger areas of anastomosis with pericardial patch augmentation and avoid using continuous suture. When the progressive pulmonary venous stenosis occurred during the follow-up period, a 'sutureless neoatrium' procedure can be used to resolve the obstructions.