The spectrum of subdivided left atrium: diagnosis, treatment and outcome in eight patients.

From January 1996 to April 2001, we treated eight patients with subdivided left atrium. Their ages at diagnosis ranged from newborn to 6.4 years. Prominent clinical symptoms were failure to thrive, respiratory symptoms, demand for oxygen, and congestive cardiac failure. Diagnosis was made by transthoracic echocardiography in all cases. Cardiac catheterization was necessary only in those patients who had associated cardiac anomalies, or suspected signs of pulmonary hypertension. In 7 patients, surgery was performed immediately after diagnosis, but one preterm infant died before operation due to neonatal sepsis and respiratory distress syndrome. In the postoperative period, one patient developed a severe capillary leak syndrome, and died due to irreversible congestive cardiac failure. The other 6 patients have all been followed up, with good results in the short- and intermediate-term at a mean of 34.3+/-20.2 months. The infants were thriving, had a reduction in the frequency of infections of the respiratory tract, no significant arrhythmias, and showed early recovery from pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy.