Right coronary artery-pulmonary artery arteriovenous fistula secondary to open heart surgery

A patient is described who underwent atrial septal defect repair at age 12 and presented 16 years later with angina. Coronary angiography revealed a right coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula that had developed at the site of the previous thoracotomy. This is the first report of an acquired fistula of this type developing secondary to trauma associated with open heart surgery. Diagnosis, shunt quantification and treatment are discussed.