Heart Failure in a Preterm Infant. Case Report and Echocardiographic Clues for the Diagnostic Approach to Pulmonary Sequestration

Abstract

Pulmonary sequestration is an unusual cause of heart failure in infants. We report a preterm newborn with signs of congestive heart failure supposed secondary to a ductus arteriosus that was finally diagnosed as a coexistent extralobar pulmonary sequestration. In this case, Doppler echocardiography was essential for diagnosis, revealing an abnormal systemic arterial supply to the sequestered lung and abnormal venous drainage.

Heart failure due to pulmonary sequestration in an infant

“…Those patients presenting early in life generally have a large extra‐cardiac shunt with volume overload of the heart chambers, which results in congestive heart failure. Early onset of heart failure caused by PS mainly occurs in neonates 2 . Nevertheless, in this case, PS was not diagnosed timely until severe heart failure was observed.…”

“…Angiogram and enhanced CT scan are effective in the diagnosis of PS. An arterial continuous flow and diastolic runoff pattern are also the signs of an abnormal systemic blood supply of PS 2 . An ASD with a diameter of 7 mm is not related to severe PAH or heart failure in infants.…”

“…An arterial continuous flow and diastolic runoff pattern are also the signs of an abnormal systemic blood supply of PS. 2 An ASD with a diameter of 7 mm is not related to severe PAH or heart failure in infants. For this reason, unexplained heart failure or PAH may require further angiography.…”