Anatomic Factors Causing Respiratory Distress in Acyanotic Congenital Cardiac Disease

Respiratory symptoms in acyanotic congenital cardiac disease may result from several factors, including cardiac failure and bronchial obstruction. Significant bronchial compression by hypertensive pulmonary arteries and, in some cases, the left atrium, also may occur. Sites of predilection are the left main bronchus and the left upper and right middle bronchi. The latter two sites correlate with distribution of lobar emphysema in acyanotic congenital cardiac disease.