A 51-year-old man with five cameras in his heart is detected in Dubai

“Given the circumstances, we performed an ECG which was normal. A cardiac enzyme test was also performed, but there was nothing out of place. We planned a 2D echo test and at first glance the heart function also seemed normal. However, a closer look at the structure of the heart revealed a linear band in the left atrium or upper chamber,” said Dr Upadhyaya, who immediately suspected that the patient was suffering from a rare disease.

He said that along with the two ventricles (right ventricle and left ventricle), an additional chamber was found inside the left atrium due to the presence of the membrane characteristic of the condition called cor triatriatum sinister. The anomaly concerned the left atrium, resulting in a total count of five chambers in the heart.

Further investigations were carried out and it was confirmed that the man did indeed have sinister cor triatriatum.

Dr Upadhyaya said while the condition was confirmed, the task remained of establishing whether it was the cause of the chest pain. This meant more tests had to be done, including some blood tests and a cardiac MRI. “Subsequently, we were able to conclude that the presence of the linear membrane was not responsible for his chest pain. So we treated him with medication for his symptoms and he was soon able to return to normal.”

The doctor said that patients with sinister cor triatriatum require surgery if it is deemed necessary. “These patients are generally more likely to suffer from cardiac arrhythmia, i.e. the formation of clots due to slow blood flow which in turn can lead to a stroke. There could also be a number of degenerative changes that could lead to shortness of breath and other complications,” he said.

Patients with cor triatriatum may have other associated congenital heart defects, which require careful evaluation and imaging. “In fact, in 70 percent of cases, an associated atrial septal defect (ASD) is present. There is a slightly higher prevalence in men. If blood flow is restricted between the chambers of the left atrium due to a narrow opening, the patient may experience symptoms early in life. If the opening is not restrictive, patients may remain asymptomatic until an older age. However, the communicating foramen can undergo changes over time due to fibrosis and calcification, which can cause symptoms,” the doctor said.

He said: “This case highlights the need for comprehensive cardiac screening in adults over 35 years of age, especially when symptoms appear unusual,” he added.

The patient was not available for comment.