Aims and objectives: Cor triatriatum sinistrum (CTS) and cor triatriatum dextrum (CTD) are rare congenital anomalies characterized by the presence of a perforated septum which divides the respective atrium into a proximal and distal chamber. This report reviews the perioperative course of patients with uncorrected cor triatriatum (CT) undergoing procedures requiring anesthesia. In addition, we performed a literature search that examines the experience of others regarding the peri-operative course of patients with CT.
Materials and methods: A computerized search of a medical record database was conducted to identify patients with a clinical diagnosis of uncorrected CTD and CTS undergoing surgical procedures. Descriptive statistics were used.
Results: We identified 12 adult patients with asymptomatic CTS (n = 7) and CTD (n = 5) who underwent 23 anesthetics. There were no perioperative complications which could be attributed directly to the anatomy of CT.
Conclusions: Our observation and review of the literature suggest that patients with asymptomatic CT typically tolerate anesthesia and surgical procedures well.