Cor triatriatum natural history


 * Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org]; ; Keri Shafer, M.D. [mailto:kshafer@bidmc.harvard.edu]; Assistant Editor(s)-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [mailto:kfeeney@perfuse.org]

Overview
Cor triatriatum is a rare and often devastating condition to untreated infants. However, patient as much as 72 years old have been found to have the condition in routine pre-procedural transesophageal echocardiography. Prognosis is largely dependent on the administration of effective surgical intervention in a timely manner, the nature of the obstruction between the atrial chambers, and the presence or absence of associated defects/anomalies.

Complications

 * Low Cardiac Output
 * Hypoxemia
 * Atrial Fibrillation
 * Pulmonary Venous Hypertension
 * Right Ventricular Failure

Prognosis
Cor triatriatum is usually fatal within the first two years of life. The prognosis is related to timely surgical intervention, the degree of obstruction between the two left atria, and the presence or absence of associated anomalies. The majority of postoperative deaths occur in the first 30 days.

Long-term results are excellent, with survival of more than 80% in patients surviving surgery.

Survivors have excellent functional results without residual sequelae and a life expectancy that approaches the general population.