Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return is a rare heart condition that's present at birth. That means it is a congenital heart defect.
Other names for this condition are:
- PAPVR (partial anomalous pulmonary venous return).
- PAPVC (partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection).
In this condition, some of the blood vessels of the lungs attach to the wrong place in the heart. These blood vessels are called the pulmonary veins.
In a typical heart, oxygen-rich blood returns from the lungs to the upper left heart chamber, called the left atrium. Then the blood goes to the body.
In
PAPVR, blood flows from the lungs into the upper right heart chamber, called the right atrium, and then goes to the lungs, even though that blood already has oxygen. This means the right side of the heart has to handle extra blood flow. This may cause swelling of the right heart chambers.
Most people with
PAPVR have a hole between the upper heart chambers called sinus venosus atrial septal defect. The hole lets blood flow between the upper heart chambers. Other heart problems also may occur.