Anomalies of the Pulmonary Arteries

Anomalies of the pulmonary arteries are frequently seen in association with more complex congenital heart defects such as forms of tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries, and common arterial trunk; however, they also occur in isolation. The significance of these anomalies may vary from an incidental finding to life-threatening lesions. For complete discussion of pulmonary artery anomalies that are a component of more complex forms of congenital heart disease, the reader is referred to the relevant chapters in this book. This chapter focuses on isolated pulmonary artery anomalies including peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, abnormal origin of a pulmonary artery from the aorta, and pulmonary artery sling.