'Adult pattern' of pulmonary vessels in Newborn infants

Abstract

The pulmonary vasculature of 7 newborn infants out of a total of 700 cases studied showed an adult pattern. Of these, 4 were associated with patent ductus arteriosus, 2 with interventricular septal defects and 1 with interatrial septal defect. Clinically, these infants were normal at birth, but later developed respiratory distress followed by pulmonary oedema and cardiac failure. The premature dilatation of the pulmonary vessels is thought to be the cause of the respiratory distress and cardiac failure. The cause of this condition is, as yet, unknown.