Surgical management of left cor triatriatum in adults

Cor triatriatum sinistrum is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly in which a membrane divides the left atrium. Severity of the disease depends on the size of the opening on the membrane. The anomaly presents with severe pulmonary hypertension and prognosis is unfavourable without surgery. From 1976 through 1992, 5 adult patients were treated surgically in our institution. Cor triatriatum can be corrected surgically with a low mortality and excellent late results if an early preoperative diagnosis has been made. Clinical findings and cardiac catheterization do not provide sufficient data for the correct diagnosis. From a review of our experience it is concluded that echocardiography is superior to angiography for diagnosing cor triatriatum.