FISTULOUS CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LEFT PULMONARY-ARTERY AND THE INNOMINATE VEIN

A 66-yr-old woman was admitted to our clinic with signs and symptoms s uggesting either pulmonary embolism or pneumonia. Subsequently she was diagnosed as having pneumonia, but since pulmonary artery pressure wa s high on echocardiography, pulmonary angiography was performed to exc lude the possibility of pulmonary embolism. No findings suggestive of pulmonary embolism were evident on pulmonary angiogram, but there was a fistulous connection between the left pulmonary artery and the innom inate vein. To our knowledge, this report represents the first case of a fistula between the pulmonary artery and a systemic vein. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.