An unusual case of aorta-right atrial tunnel with windsock aneurysm : imaging, diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

The first successfully diagnosed and treated case of aorta– right atrial tunnel was reported by Coto et al. in 1980. The most common cause of aorta–right atrial tunnel is a ruptured aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva. Sinus of Valsalva aneurysms had been reported as early as 1840 by Thurnam; these were diagnosed at autopsy. With the advances in radiology, many cases of aorta–right atrial tunnel have been reported since then, each with its own subtle variations. We report on a unique case of aorta–right atrial tunnel with a windsock aneurysm in the right atrium. A 55-yearold male presented with abdominal pain and the chest X-ray revealed cardiomegaly. On further investigation with echocardiography and computed tomography angiography, there was an incidental aorta–right atrial tunnel with a windsock aneurysm in the right atrium. He was treated successfully with surgery. A similar case has been reported only once before by Iyisoy et al. in 2014.