Scimitar syndrome, or congenital pulmonary venolobar syndrome, is a rare congenital heart defect characterized by anomalous venous return from the right lung (to the systemic venous drainage, rather than directly to the left atrium).[1] This anomalous pulmonary venous return can be either partial (PAPVR) or total (TAPVR). The syndrome associated with PAPVR is more commonly known as Scimitar syndrome after the curvilinear pattern created on a chest radiograph by the pulmonary veins that drain to the inferior vena cava.[2] This radiographic density often has the shape of a scimitar, a type of curved sword.[2] The syndrome was first described by Catherine Neill in 1960.[3]
Presentation
The anomalous venous return forms a curved shadow on chest x-ray such that it resembles a scimitar. This is called the Scimitar Sign. Associated abnormalities include right lung hypoplasia with associated dextroposition of the heart, pulmonary artery hypoplasia and pulmonary sequestration. Incidence is around 1 per 100,000 births.[4]
Diagnosis
Chest x-ray of a five-year-old girl with Scimitar syndrome. The heart (blue outline) is shifted into the right half of the chest, and the anomalous pulmonary venous return (red) has a shape reminiscent of a Scimitar.
Pulmonary angiography demonstrates anomalous arterial supply to right lower lobe.[5]
Treatment
Surgical correction should be considered in the presence of significant left to right shunting (Qp:Qs ≥ 2:1) and pulmonary hypertension. This involves creation of an inter-atrial baffle to redirect the pulmonary venous return into the left atrium. Alternatively, the anomalous vein can be re-implanted directly into the left atrium.[citation needed]
History
Scimitar syndrome was first described by George Cooper and Raoul Chassinat in 1836 regarding a rare syndrome that has an abnormal pulmonary vein that drains into inferior vena cava below the diaphragm instead of draining into the left atrium.[6]
References
^Sehgal, Arvind; Loughran-Fowlds, Allison, Clinical Brief: Scimitar Syndrome(PDF), medIND — Biomedical journals from India, archived from the original(PDF) on 2009-05-30, retrieved 2008-02-28
Holt, PD; Berdon, WE; Marans, Z; Griffiths, S; Hsu, D (February 2004). "Scimitar vein draining to the left atrium and a historical review of the scimitar syndrome". Pediatric Radiology. 34 (5): 409–13. doi:10.1007/s00247-004-1149-0. PMID14872299. S2CID10760446.
Kramer U, Dörnberger V, Fenchel M, Stauder N, Claussen CD, Miller S (December 2003). "Scimitar syndrome: morphological diagnosis and assessment of hemodynamic significance by magnetic resonance imaging". Eur Radiol. 13 (Suppl 4): L147–50. doi:10.1007/s00330-003-2061-y. PMID15018181. S2CID36253400.
