Pulmonary hypertension complicating unilateral absence of pulmonary artery and coronary‐pulmonary artery fistula: Report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract

Abstract This is a case report of a 53‐year‐old woman who presented to our hospital in 2011 with an intermittent cough and dyspnea for 5 years. The chest X‐ray showed a prominent left hilum and a smaller right lung. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest confirmed the absence of the right pulmonary artery (PA) and the right cardiac catheterization showed a mean PA pressure of 34 mmHg. Concomitant asthma and unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (UAPA) were diagnosed. In the following years, her functional class remained stable under medications including low‐dose sildenafil and spironolactone. In 2020, she developed mild intermittent chest tightness and the coronary angiography showed a fistula between the proximal left circumflex coronary artery and right pulmonary circulation. She declined further intervention for her coronary‐pulmonary artery fistula (CPAF) and her symptoms improved spontaneously. To our knowledge, only 16 similar cases with combined UAPA and CPAF in adults have been reported in the literature, of which, pulmonary hypertension was documented in nine patients (56.3%).

Keywords

• coronary‐pulmonary artery fistula
• pulmonary hypertension
• unilateral absence of pulmonary artery