An unusual case of double-outlet left ventricle

Two-dimensional echocardiographic features of double outlet left ventricle

In a cyanotic newborn infant, the diagnosis of double outlet left ventricle was made from the two-dimensional echocardiographic examination. The diagnosis was later confirmed at cardiac catheterization and surgery. The parasternal and subcostal views were especially useful for identification of the origin of both great arteries from the morphologic left ventricle. A review of the medical literature since 1967 revealed 77 cases of double outlet left ventricle, most of which were diagnosed only at surgery or postmortem examination. The anatomic features demonstrated with two-dimensional echocardiography in this case are representative of the findings cited most often in the cases reported in the medical literature.