Correction of the scimitar syndrome, a rare cardiac venous anomaly, leading to Budd–Chiari syndrome: a case report

INTRODUCTION Scimitar syndrome is a congenital heart disease characterized by an abnormal drainage of the right lung into the inferior vena cava, the right atrium or a variety of venous connections from the anomalous pulmonary vein to a systemic vein. This left-to-right shunt induces pulmonary hypertension and is an indication for surgical repair in cases of a history of recurrent pneumonia or significant left-to-right shunting. A corrective approach, which consists of rerouting the anomalous pulmonary flow to the left atrium, is usually performed. Complications of scimitar repair are stenosis, thrombosis and occlusion of the scimitar vein and its deviation. CASE PRESENTATION This case report describes a 53-year-old Caucasian woman with known scimitar syndrome, undergoing surgical repair due to invaliding symptoms of dyspnoea, and presenting with postoperative Budd-Chiari syndrome due to anomalous drainage of her right hepatic vein into the left atrium. It is an interesting cause of liver pathology caused by Budd-Chiari that never has been described before. CONCLUSIONS This case report emphasizes the importance of a thorough preoperative evaluation, and the importance of antecedents in newly presenting pathology. It is an interesting cause of a known hepatic syndrome, the Budd-Chiari syndrome. This case report is of interest to many specialties, including Hepatology, Cardiology, Radiology and Cardiovascular Surgery. It exposes a new interesting anatomic variation of the scimitar syndrome with significant postoperative implications.