Aorta to pulmonary artery fistula is an uncommon and potentially fatal condition. This case is of a 48-year-old Caucasian male with congestive heart failure and multiple aortic valve replacement surgeries who presented with an acquired ascending aortic aneurysm to pulmonary artery fistula diagnosed using two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography via nonstandard imaging windows. Three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography using live/real time three-dimensional color Doppler was used to assess the size of the opening of the fistula, providing additional value. This patient was surgically managed and is doing well 8 months postoperation.
Keywords: aorta to pulmonary artery fistula; echocardiography; three-dimensional echocardiography; three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography; transthoracic echocardiography.
© 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.