[Right pulmonary artery-left atrium communication : a rare cause of refractory hypoxia in newborn infants].

Two cases of right pulmonary artery to left atrium in the newborn are described. Both patients presented with refractory hypoxemia cardiomegaly, hypovascular lung fields. Moreover one patient presented with continuous murmur and localised X-ray shadow. Echocardiographic left atrium enlargement suggested diagnosis and angiography confirmed it. Spontaneous improvement in one child is due to a decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance and has allowed the patient to attain an age and a weight in which surgical ligation has been performed more safely.