Left Atrial Isomerism in Afrocaribbean Adolescents and Adults with no Intervention: Echocardiographic Findings

Abstract

Left atrial isomerism (LAI) is a rare congenital anomaly usually associated with major or minor congenital cardiac lesions. Presentation beyond childhood is unusual as there is usually high morbidity of 63% associated with the co-morbid major congenital cardiac lesions in the first year of life. The four index cases highlight the myriad cardiac lesions facilitating survival into adolescence and adulthood of this rare cardiac condition. Presented are markedly different echocardiographic findings of four cases of LAI in Afro-Caribbeans who had no intervention. Their diagnostic transthoracic echocardiographic findings are the focussed features of this article and the first documentation of isolated patent ductus arteriosus with LAI. Fascinating diagnostic chest X-ray findings of the LAI index cases are presented. They are the first cases of LAI documented in Afro-Caribbeans.