THE SCIMITAR SYNDROME - CLINICAL SPECTRUM AND SURGICAL-TREATMENT

We present seven patients with the scimitar syndrome. The clinical and anatomical spectrum is described. Two different types of scimitar vei n were recognized. a) simple classic vein running from the middle of t he right lung to the cardiophrenic angle (5 patients) and b) double ar ched vein in the upper and lower lung zone, with ample drainage into t he left atrium and inferior caval vein (2 patients). Four patients req uired surgical-treatment. Indications, diagnostic procedures and surgi cal management are discussed. In two patients, thrombosis and fibrosis occurred in the scimitar vein that had been reimplantated in the left atrium, necessitating pneumonectomy.