Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection is best described as?

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection is best described as?

• A. Pulmonary veins drain into the left atrium
• B. Pulmonary veins drain into the right atrium
• C. Pulmonary veins drain into the coronary sinus
• D. Pulmonary veins drain into the superior vena cava

Answer: (B)

TAPVC occurs when the pulmonary veins fail to connect to the left atrium. Instead, the oxygenated blood from the lungs returns to the right heart through anomalous connections that ultimately drain into the right atrial circulation (often via the superior vena cava, coronary sinus, or other systemic venous pathways). This is why the hallmark description is that the pulmonary veins drain into the right atrium. The result is mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood and the need for an interatrial communication to allow blood to reach the left side of the heart for systemic circulation. Draining into the left atrium would be normal, and while some TAPVC variants involve drainage into the coronary sinus, the defining feature is right-sided drainage rather than left-sided.

TAPVC occurs when the pulmonary veins fail to connect to the left atrium. Instead, the oxygenated blood from the lungs returns to the right heart through anomalous connections that ultimately drain into the right atrial circulation (often via the superior vena cava, coronary sinus, or other systemic venous pathways). This is why the hallmark description is that the pulmonary veins drain into the right atrium. The result is mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood and the need for an interatrial communication to allow blood to reach the left side of the heart for systemic circulation. Draining into the left atrium would be normal, and while some TAPVC variants involve drainage into the coronary sinus, the defining feature is right-sided drainage rather than left-sided.