Current diagnostic and treatment strategies for Lutembacher syndrome: the pivotal role of echocardiography

Lutembacher syndrome in a middle-aged woman in Ghana with an extremely large atrial septal defect

Lutembacher syndrome (LS) is a rare heart disorder characterized by a congenital or acquired combination of the atrial septal defect (ASD) and mitral stenosis. In LS, patients may be asymptomatic for years, but early detection and treatment result in a better prognosis. In contrast, the prognosis is usually poor, with conservative treatment if the diagnosis is late and the patient develops heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Although rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and congenital heart disease are prevalent in Ghana, cases of LS are not reported. Here, we report the case of a 45-year-old woman with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis and an exceptionally large ASD with bidirectional flow who was diagnosed with LS and treated conservatively for heart failure at a cardiology clinic in Ghana.

Prevalence and Hemodynamic Consequences of Mitral Valve Abnormalities in Atrial Septal Defect

Background: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common congenital heart disease in adults. Concomitant mitral valve disease in patients with ASD could have significant hemodynamic effects whit a great impact on managing this congenital defect. Objectives: This study evaluated the prevalence of mitral valve abnormalities and the hemodynamic burden associated with different types of ASD. Methods: This retrospective study reanalyzed 1,006 consecutive patients referred to Rajaie Heart Center in Tehran from March 2019 to February 2022. We evaluated adult patients with the diagnosis of a shunt at the atrial level. Diagnoses were made with 2D and 3D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). 3D analysis was performed with 3D zoom, mitral valve navigation (MVN), and full-volume and multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) modalities. We performed statistical analysis by SPSS version 22.0. The qualitative data were expressed as frequency and percentage. Data were compared between subgroups via Mann-Whitney U/Kruskal-Wallis tests for the interval variables, Pearson's chi-square test for nominal variables, and chi-square for trends test for ordinal variables. Results: The distribution of different ASD types was ostium secundum in 88.8% of cases, primum ASD in 0.9%, SVC-type sinus venosus ASD in 9%, IVC-type sinus venosus in 0.4%, and unroofed coronary sinus in 0.9%. We found mitral valve abnormalities in 21.1% of cases, and the most common mitral valve abnormality were prolaptic lesions (17.4%). Conclusions: Age, ASD size, estimated Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure (SPAP), and severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) were markedly higher were markedly higher among patients with MV anomalies, more over left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly lower among this group (P-value < 0.05).

Total surgical correction of Lutembacher syndrome associated with partial anomalous connection of the pulmonary veins and tricuspid regurgitation

Lutembacher syndrome is characterized by the association of mitral stenosis and atrial septal defect (ASD), usually of the ostium secundum type. The association between superior vena cava-type ASD and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection is unusual and there are few descriptions in the literature. We report this condition in a 24-year-old woman who was admitted to the hospital with a 1-year history of progressive dyspnea and describe the successful surgical repair following mitral commissurotomy and tunneling of the anomalous pulmonary veins to the left atrium, which determines the closure of the ASD and tricuspid repair.

Combined Percutaneous Procedure in Patient with Lutembacher Syndrome: A Case Report and Real-World Experience Review

Even cardiac surgery has been accepted as the standard therapy for Lutembacher syndrome, a combination of congenital ostium secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) and acquired mitral valve stenosis (MVS), it also owns many limitations and disadvantages. Therefore, seeking for a less invasive therapy with the same efficacy may be worthwhile. Thanks to the development in technology and experience gaining in cardiovascular intervention, the combination of the two proved effective procedures, including percutaneous MVS treatment using balloon valvuloplasty and percutaneous ASD closure using atrial septal occluders, can be utilized as an attractive alternative therapy for these conditions. Here, we present a successful percutaneous intervention in Lutembacher syndrome using the combination of mitral balloon valvuloplasty and ASD device closure and thoroughly review the experience of using this combined procedure existing in the literature.

Atrial septal defect with pulmonary hypertension: when/how can we consider closure?

Patients having atrial septal defect (ASD) with moderate and more importantly severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) pose a clinical dilemma. Closing ASD in those with irreversible PAH and not closing it when the PAH is reversible can cost patients dearly, both in terms of quality of life and longevity. In our experience, there is no single parameter that can help in decision making in this difficult subset of patients and therefore we recommend a multi-dimensional approach, which takes into consideration clinical, radiological, electrocardiographic and hemodynamic variables as a whole. ASD with restrictive left ventricular (LV) physiology can lead to pulmonary venous hypertension, which can manifest as life threatening acute pulmonary edema following device closure. All high-risk candidates prone to having this combination should be prepared with diuretics and vasodilators prior to bringing them to catheterization laboratory and should be assessed with temporary balloon/device occlusion prior to permanent closure of the defect. In those cases of ASD with borderline operability either due to severe PAH or LV restrictive physiology, perforated device may be helpful in preventing acute or long-term complications of complete closure.

Lutembacher syndrome: Dilemma of doing a tricuspid annuloplasty

We discuss the case of a 24-year-old woman with Lutembacher syndrome and severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) who underwent surgical closure of atrial septal defect and mitral valve replacement without tricuspid annuloplasty despite a severe TR and a large tricuspid annulus on preoperative echo. The pathophysiology of Lutembacher syndrome is discussed below. The utility of perioperative echocardiography in assessing the annular diameter, tenting area and coaptation depth and thus providing insights into the functioning of the tricuspid valve will also be emphasized.