Aorta-Right Atrial Tunnel Causing Heart Failure in a Young Female

Mohammed Al-Sadawi¹, Muhammad Ihsan², Arismendy Nunez Garcia², Jason M. Lazar², Robert Poston³, Murad Almasri⁴, Haytham Aboushi¹ and Samy I. McFarlane^1,

¹Department of Internal Medicine, State University of New York: Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States

²Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, State University of New York: Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States

³Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, State University of New York: Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States

⁴Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States

Cite this paper:
Mohammed Al-Sadawi, Muhammad Ihsan, Arismendy Nunez Garcia, Jason M. Lazar, Robert Poston, Murad Almasri, Haytham Aboushi and Samy I. McFarlane. Aorta-Right Atrial Tunnel Causing Heart Failure in a Young Female. American Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2019; 7(11):267-270. doi: 10.12691/ajmcr-7-11-1

Abstract

Aorta–right atrial tunnel is a rare entity characterized by a vascular fistula, which connects one of the sinuses of Valsalva in the ascending aorta and the right atrium. It is frequently associated with congestive heart failure. This abnormality is usually diagnosed by echocardiography or CT angiography. It requires immediate intervention due to high risk of complications as congestive heart failure. In this report, we present a case of a 33-year old female with no significant past medical history presents to the hospital with progressive shortness of breath found to have a congenital Aorta–right atrial tunnel.

Keywords:
aorta-right atrial tunnel aorta-right atrial fistula heart failure

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