Look before you close: Atrial septal defect with undiagnosed partial anomalous pulmonary venous return

The growing and continued success of percutaneous closure of atrial defects is related to its high benefit-to-risk ratio in appropriately selected patients. The following case illustrates a previously undocumented danger, namely, the potential for incomplete correction. A thorough transesophageal examination performed at the time of the planned atrial defect closure suggested the presence of a partial anomalous pulmonary vein insertion, which was then appropriately documented and the incomplete closure was averted. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.