Anesthesia and cor triatriatum.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Cor triatriatum sinistrum (CTS) and cor triatriatum dextrum (CTD) are rare congenital anomalies characterized by the presence of a perforated septum which divides the respective atrium into a proximal and distal chamber. This report reviews the perioperative course of patients with uncorrected cor triatriatum (CT) undergoing procedures requiring anesthesia. In addition, we performed a literature search that examines the experience of others regarding the peri-operative course of patients with CT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A computerized search of a medical record database was conducted to identify patients with a clinical diagnosis of uncorrected CTD and CTS undergoing surgical procedures. Descriptive statistics were used.

RESULTS

We identified 12 adult patients with asymptomatic CTS (n = 7) and CTD (n = 5) who underwent 23 anesthetics. There were no perioperative complications which could be attributed directly to the anatomy of CT.

CONCLUSIONS

Our observation and review of the literature suggest that patients with asymptomatic CT typically tolerate anesthesia and surgical procedures well.