Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome combined with multiple congenital heart anomalies

Intern Med. 2005 May;44(5):453-7. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.44.453.

Abstract

A 71-year-old woman was admitted for paralysis on the left side of her body. She developed dyspnea and hypoxemia after admission. Although pulmonary embolism was suspected, hypoxemia and dyspnea occurred repeatedly in spite of anticoagulation therapy. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a patent foramen ovale (PFO), an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA), and a right-to-left shunt that appeared in an upright position. She was diagnosed with platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome. Moreover, cardiac catheterization showed congenital anomalies, such as unroofed coronary sinus, partial anomalous pulmonary venous return and persistent left superior vena cava. Simple surgical closure of the ASA and PFO improved all of her symptoms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abnormalities, Multiple* / diagnosis
  • Abnormalities, Multiple* / surgery
  • Aged
  • Cardiac Catheterization
  • Cardiac Surgical Procedures
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / complications*
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / diagnosis
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / surgery
  • Dyspnea / diagnosis
  • Dyspnea / etiology*
  • Echocardiography, Doppler, Color
  • Echocardiography, Transesophageal
  • Female
  • Heart Aneurysm / complications*
  • Heart Aneurysm / diagnosis
  • Heart Aneurysm / surgery
  • Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / complications*
  • Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / diagnosis
  • Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / surgery
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / diagnosis
  • Hypoxia / etiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Posture*
  • Syndrome