REPAIR OF AORTICO-LEFT VENTRICULAR TUNNEL ORIGINATING FROM THE LEFT AORTIC SINUS

We report on a case of gn Ii-year-old asymptomatic child with aortico- left ventricular tunnel arising from the left aortic sinus. Preoperati ve transesophageal echocardiography Showed a dilated aortic: root with mild aortic valve incompetence and demonstrated the course of the tun nel, which originated from the left coronary sinus entering the outlet portion of the left ventricular outflow tract. Patch closure of the a ortic end of the tunnel eliminated left ventricular volume overload wi th immediate marked reduction of cardiomegaly. At 10-month follow-up t he child is asymptomatic End receiving no oral medications. Control tw o-dimensional Doppler echocardiography shows trivial central aortic va lve incompetence. (C) 1998 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.