DRAINAGE OF PULMONARY VEINS INTO CORONARY SINUS

Abstract

ANOMALOUS drainage of all the pulmonary veins into the right side of the heart is rare. Thirty-eight cases were collected from the literature by Brody,¹ and of these, 7 showed entry of all pulmonary veins into the coronary sinus. The other sites of entry were: the superior vena cava, the right atrium itself, the portal veins and the inferior vena cava. It is interesting to note that in none of the cases was drainage into the coronary sinus accompanied with other major cardiac anomalies, whereas major anomalies were frequently associated with the other sites of entry. It is obvious that when both pulmonary and systemic veins drain into the right atrium abnormal communications between the right and left sides of the heart must be present in order that the condition be compatible with life. In spite of these communications, the load on the right side of the heart is