Three Unusual Complications Resulting from Attempted Repair of Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage

The correction of shunts resulting from partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage has become an accepted surgical procedure. Surgical complications, other than those that were purely postoperative, have been rare. The present report details the case histories of three patients with unusual complications resulting from this type of surgery. Unilateral pulmonary venous obstruction and repeated infections occurred in one patient. In another, obstruction of the superior vena cava resulted. In the third patient, an inadequate operation was performed when the site of partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage into the coronary sinus was not recognized initially at the time of surgery.