[Univentricular heart: angiographic features in 31 patients].

PURPOSE: Evaluation of angiographic features of univentricular heart.

METHODS

Thirty-one patients were divided into 3 groups according to morphological type of univentricular heart: left ventricle type, right ventricle type and undetermined. They were studied for atrio-ventricular junction, position of rudimentary chamber in relation to principal chamber, ventricle-arterial junction, the position of the two great arteries in relation to each other and whenever possible, the origin of the coronary arteries.

RESULTS

There were 16 cases of left ventricle type with A-V junction through 2 valves in 8 and through single valve in 6. The rudimentary chamber position was superior and to the right in 4 cases of dextrocardia and superior and to the left in 8 of levocardia. The ventricle-arterial junction was discordant in 9 patients and concordant in 4, double outlet of rudimentary chamber in 2 and single outlet in 1. The aorta was anterior to the pulmonary artery in 13 patients. Anomalous origin of the coronary arteries occurred in 5 of 9 cases studied. Right ventricle type occurred in 9 patients with absence of one of the A-V junctions in 5. Trabecular pouch was seen in 6 patients, posterior and inferior positioned in all of them. Double outlet from principal chamber occurred in 8 patients. The aorta was anterior in 66.6%. Undetermined type occurred in 6 patients with A-V junction through single valve in 5. In 3 there was double outlet from principal chamber showing pulmonary stenosis and in the remaining 3 there was pulmonary atresia.

CONCLUSION

Discordant ventricle-arterial junction is common for left ventricle type; trabecular pouch is frequent in right ventricle type; single A-V valve is common for undetermined type; obstruction of pulmonary flow happens in all 3 types but it is more frequent in undetermined type; the aorta is anterior to the pulmonary artery in most cases; it is common the anomalous origin of the coronary arteries from the aortic sinus.