Unilateral pulmonary venous atresia: A rare cause of recurrent hemoptysis

Abstract

Hemoptysis is a rare but distressing complaint in children. Pulmonary venous atresia (PVA) is a rare cause of recurrent hemoptysis in children. We report a 3-year-old boy with recurrent hemoptysis for 2 years. The child had tachycardia, tachypnea, tender hepatomegaly, and left-sided decreased air entry with crepitations. Coagulation and Koch's workup was negative. X-ray of the chest showed a small left hemithorax. Computed tomography with angiography showed left unilateral PVA with pulmonary artery hypoplasia and dysplastic left lung. The child has been posted for left pneumonectomy. Although uncommon, PVA should be diagnosed early to prevent life-threatening complications such as hemoptysis and pulmonary hypertension. The patient can be managed conservatively or surgically depending on the severity. Early diagnosis and intervention helps in reducing morbidity and mortality.

Keywords

• dysplastic lung
• hemoptysis
• pneumonectomy
• pulmonary venous atresia