Total Anomalous Pulmonary Vein Return, infracardiac (TAPVR)

Infracardiac Total Anomalous Pulmonary Vein Return (TAPVR) [infra=below, cardiac=of the heart, anomalous=not normal, pulmonary=having to do with the lungs, vein=blood vessel, return=come back] – a structural defect where the pulmonary veins (which normally carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs back to the left atrium of the heart) do not connect to the left atrium at all. Instead, the pulmonary veins connect to the Hepatic Vein (which brings oxygen-depleted blood from the liver back to the right atrium of the heart).  An ASD is the only source of blood for the left side of the heart (which normally supplies oxygen-rich blood to the body).  This causes oxygen-rich and oxygen-depleted blood to mix before being pumped out to the body.  TAPVR often presents with pulmonary vein stenosis.