Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Drain Into the Left Atrium: A Rare Cause of Hypoxia in Childhood

Abstract

Persistent left superior vena cava drain into the left atrium is frequently overlooked since it rarely has a major influence on haemodynamic in children. Therefore, it is frequently asymptomatic and accidentally found during catheterization and imaging modalities. It has the potential to mimic pulmonary disease, especially in individuals who do not have a congenital cardiac anomaly. We report the case of a five-year-old boy who had recurrent pneumonia with persistent hypoxaemia and was discovered to have persistent left superior vena cava into the left atrium by computer tomography pulmonary angiography. Due to the lifetime risk of emboli and bacteraemia from right to left shunting, the left superior vena cava must be terminated either percutaneously or surgically.