Right coronary artery arising within an aorta-to-left ventricle tunnel: surgical repair in a neonate

Abstract

We herein describe the successful surgical repair of a very rare combination of an aorta-to-left ventricle tunnel with the right coronary artery arising from it. The neonate presented with signs of heart failure due to significant regurgitation of blood via the tunnel. The closure of the tunnel was feasible during neonatal period without patches.

Aorto-right ventricular tunnel originating from left coronary sinus: a case report

“…Aorto-right ventricular tunnel is an extremely rare anomalous communication between aorta and the right ventricular cavity (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). This defect was first reported by K. Hart (1905) and J.…”

“…The cause of this defect is unknown. Incidence of its development is about 0.1% of all diagnosed congenital heart defects (16,17). This is a pathology in which there is an abnormal communication between ascending aorta and one of ventricles of human heart with a pathological retrograde blood flow from the aorta to the ventricle, followed by hypertrophy and dilatation of the ventricle, and severe heart failure, which leads to death in the first months of life.…”