Article Text
Abstract
A 34-year-old woman was seen in the emergency department for shortness of breath and chest pain. During a pandemic, it is easy to ‘think horses and not zebras’, and with a patient presenting with the classic coronavirus symptoms it would have been easy to jump to that as her diagnosis. After a careful history and examination, it became clear that there was another underlying diagnosis. Chest X-ray, echocardiogram and CT scan revealed marked right ventricular dilatation and pulmonary hypertension, alongside a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). Further investigation with cardiac MRI and coronary angiography at a tertiary centre demonstrated that she not only have a PLSVC but also a partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage and sinus venosus atrial septal defect. This case highlights the importance of considering all differentials and approaching investigations in a logical manner.
- cardiovascular medicine
- congenital disorders
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Footnotes
Contributors SR, MT, SJA wrote the paper. ES was the supervising consultant. SR, MT, ES were involved in the patient’s care.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent for publication Obtained.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.