Role of echocardiography-derived pulmonary to systemic flow ratio in diagnosing aortopulmonary window: A case report
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Background: Aortopulmonary window (APW) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly characterized by abnormal communication between the ascending aorta and the main pulmonary artery. Without early surgical correction, this condition has a poor prognosis. However, few case reports have described adult survival of patients with untreated APW. Case presentation: We report the case of a 15-year-old girl who developed irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to untreated APW. Initially, we suspected the presence of an extracardiac shunt using a simple calculation of the echocardiography-derived pulmonary-to-systemic flow (Qp/Qs) ratio during a routine echocardiography study, which provided us with a clue to proceed with further multimodal diagnostic evaluation. In this report, we describe a comprehensive diagnostic workup, including right heart catheterization and computed tomography imaging, which confirmed the diagnosis of severe irreversible pulmonary hypertension secondary to a large untreated APW. Conclusion: This case report highlights the clinical utility of the echocardiography-derived Qp/Qs ratio as a valuable, noninvasive tool for diagnosing APW, which can lead to severe irreversible pulmonary hypertension. The multidisciplinary approach demonstrated in this case serves as a valuable example for clinicians evaluating similar cases. Therefore, APW should be considered in the differential diagnosis of severe pulmonary hypertension, even in adult patients.
DOI: 10.29333/ejgm/15646
Authors: Lamia Al Saikhan, Mahmoud Hassan
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4404719298