Atresia of the Common Pulmonary Vein: Report of One Case

Common pulmonary vein atresia is a rare cause of pulmonary venous obstruction which leads to the early development of hypoxemia and acidemia with death in the neonatal period. The characteristic radiographic appearance of the lungs is due to extreme dilatation of the subpleural lymphatic channels. This entity may be differentiated from the other lesions causing pulmonary venous obstruction by selective angiography. Total surgical correction with an anastomosis between the common pulmonary vein and left atrium is feasible but has not been successful thus far.