VENTRICULO-VENOUS COMMUNICATIONS IN ADULTS - VENTRICULOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS IN 2 FEMALE-PATIENTS

Ventriculo-venous communications (VVC) were angiographically demonstra ted in two adult female patients clinically presented with effort angi na. During oxymetric studies there were minor to moderate left-to-righ t shunts. Concomitant, mild valvular aortic stenosis (AS) was present in one patient and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) in t he other. It is believed that ventriculo-venous communications have co ntributed to the symptomatology in both patients. Symptoms were contro lled medically in combination with dual (DDD) cardiac pacing with shor t AV-delay in one patient and only medically in the other patient. Fro m the differential diagnostic point of view, superselective contrast i njection into an 'inert' myocardial sinusoid or intramural contrast st aining has been considered but could be excluded. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sc ience Ireland Ltd.