A case of proximal interruption of the left pulmonary artery

The hemodynamic and respiratory functions of a 23-year-old man with proximal interruption of the left pulmonary artery weve studied. Cardiac catheterization revealed the absence of pulmonary hypertension and he was conservatively followed. Cardiac catherization, performed on 36 cases of this anomaly so far reported, revealed an intimate relationship between pulmonary arterial pressure and the severity of this disease. The over-all incidence of pulmonary hypertension was 47 per cent. In previous reports, patients under 10 year of age showed a high incidence of pulmonary hypertension, which began at early age and became progressively severe. Frequently they died from heart failure. Patients over 10 year of age showed a low incidence of pulmonary hypertension, but 3 of 5 patients over 40 year of age had pulmonary hypertension and the oldest cases had extremely severe hypertension.