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Ann Thorac Surg 2000;70:124-127
© 2000 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Original articles: Cardiovascular

Double-chambered right ventricle presenting in adulthood

^a Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
^b Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

Address reprint requests to Dr McElhinney, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th St and Civic Center Blvd, Rm 9557, Philadelphia, PA 19104–4399
e-mail: mcelhinney{at}email.chop.edu

Background. Double-chambered right ventricle is a form of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction that develops over time, often in patients with an abnormally short distance between the moderator band and pulmonary valve. This lesion typically presents in childhood or adolescence and is often accompanied by a ventricular septal defect. Only a handful of previous cases have been described in which double-chambered right ventricle occurred in adulthood.

Methods. Since 1992, three patients more than 30 years old (38, 43, and 66 years of age) have presented at our institution with unusual symptoms or a previous incorrect diagnosis. We reviewed the clinical data in these patients.

Results. Presenting symptoms included syncope, angina, and severe dyspnea resembling pulmonary hypertension. In 1 patient, disease was categorized as New York Heart Association class IV, and in the other 2 as class III. Coexisting anomalies included a patent foramen ovale or secundum atrial septal defect in 2 patients, a small ventricular septal defect in 1 (with a probable history of ventricular septal defect in another), and mild aortic regurgitation in 1. All patients required urgent or emergent operations, with peak pressures in the proximal right ventricular chamber of 135 to 180 mm Hg and severely depressed left ventricular function in 1 patient. Resection of the anomalous right venticular muscle bundles was achieved through a right atrial approach in all patients. All patients were alive with improved functional status at follow-up, which was between 15 and 40 months.

Conclusions. Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction resulting from a double-chambered right ventricle is rare in adults, but when it does occur it can present with unusual symptoms. When evaluating the patient with signs or symptoms of primary right heart failure, cardiologists should make an effort to image the entire right heart complex. Subcostal echocardiography can facilitate adequate visualization of the right ventricle when it is difficult to distinguish the subpulmonary outflow tract from the parasternal and apical windows.

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