Cor triatriatum sinister diagnosed in a patient with postoperative cerebral infarction after beach chair position: A case report

Echocardiography. 2023 Jan;40(1):67-70. doi: 10.1111/echo.15509. Epub 2022 Dec 13.

Abstract

Cor triatriatum sinister is a rare congenital heart disease in which the left atrium is divided into two compartments by a fibromuscular membrane. In most cases, its symptoms appear in childhood, and it is rarely diagnosed in adulthood. Patients with cor triatriatum sinister are more prone to neurological diseases, such as cerebral infarction. Herein, we report the case of a patient whose cor triatriatum sinister went undiagnosed in the preoperative evaluation, but was diagnosed whilst investigating a cerebral infarction that occurred following a surgery in the beach chair position. It highlights the potential complications in otherwise healthy asymptomatic patients undergoing surgery in the beach chair position. Additionally, in high-risk patients, the provision of clear communication, in advance, regarding potential complications and their management, may reduce the patient's morbidity.

Keywords: cerebral infarction; congenital heart defects; cor triatriatum; postoperative complications; stroke.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cerebral Infarction / complications
  • Cerebral Infarction / etiology
  • Cor Triatriatum* / diagnosis
  • Heart Atria
  • Humans