Case report - azygos vein drainage into the left atrium in a dog with cor triatriatum dexter and a patent foramen ovale

Abstract

A 2-year-old Airedale terrier was presented with exercise intolerance since birth and newly developed chylous pleural effusion. Imaging procedures including echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and selective angiography revealed an aberrant connection of the azygos vein and the left atrium, a membrane in the right atrium consistent with cor triatriatum dexter, and a patent foramen ovale with right-to-left shunt. Balloon dilation of the membrane in the right atrium seemed to result in transient improvement of exercise tolerance compared with the previous 2 years. When chylothorax relapsed after three months, the dog was euthanized. Necropsy confirmed the azygos vein to left atrial connection, the patent foramen ovale, and the cor triatriatum dexter.