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Advanced Technical IVT

TAPVR

Also written as: TAPVR — Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return, a congenital heart defect where pulmonary veins connect abnormally.

Full Definition

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) is a complex congenital heart defect where all four pulmonary veins fail to connect normally to the left atrium. Instead, they drain into systemic venous structures or directly into the right atrium. TAPVR is classified by drainage location: supracardiac (to SVC or innominate vein), cardiac (to coronary sinus or right atrium), infracardiac (to portal or hepatic circulation), or mixed. Imaging with echocardiography, CT, or MRI is crucial for defining anatomy and detecting obstruction, which significantly affects prognosis and surgical urgency.

Usage

Usage note: Spell out on first use; distinguish from partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR).

In Context

  • "Cardiac catheterization confirmed supracardiac TAPVR with obstruction requiring emergent surgical repair." — cardiac catheterization report
  • "The newborn with cyanosis was found to have infradiaphragmatic TAPVR on echocardiography." — neonatal cardiology consultation

Also known as

anomalous pulmonary venous return

Don't confuse with

PAPVR partial anomalous pulmonary venous return cor triatriatum

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