Major aorto-pulmonary collateral arteries of patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect are dilated bronchial arteries

Abstract

Objective: To test the hypothesis that major aorto-pulmonary collaterals (MAPCAs) have the same anatomy as bronchial arteries. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-eight angiographies performed on 61 patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect (VSD), and MAPCAs constituted the basis for this study. This represented all available angiographies performed on this patient group at our institution during the period 1972-2001. MAPCA anatomy was compared to bronchial artery anatomy as described in previous publications. Results: Each patient had one to five MAPCAs (mean 3.2 ± 0.94). A mean of 2.6 ± 0.66 MAPCAs came from the descending aorta. MAPCAs with anatomy similar to right intercosto..