[Congenital coronary arteriovenous fistula: analysis of five cases].

The records of 5 patients with congenital coronary arteriovenous fistula, diagnosed by echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, angiocardiography and confirmed by cardiac surgery between 1982 and 1988, were studied. Their ages ranged from 3 months to 13 years. Among them, 3 were asymptomatic; one developed congestive heart failure shortly after birth, and was treated with digoxin and furosemide. Another patient had exertional dyspnea and fatigue. A grade 3-4/6 continuous murmur was heard over the right or left lower sternal border in four patients; only a pansystolic murmur was heard over the left lower sternal border in the remaining one patient. All the five patients had right coronary arteriovenous fistula terminating into the right ventricle. All received cardiac surgery. Direct epicardial ligation of the fistula was performed in one patient. The rest four cases required cardiopulmonary bypass and suture closure through the right ventricle by direct suture of the orifice in one patient, and Dacron patch closure in other three patients. No postoperative complications occurred in all patients. In conclusion, since the operation was quite safe, if patient had significant shunts and/or clinical symptoms, surgical correction should be considered.