The Diagnosis of Bilateral Stenosis of the Primary Pulmonary Artery Branches Based on Characteristic Pulmonary Trunk Pressure Curves

The cardiac catheterization and angiocardiographic findings in 12 cases with bilateral stenosis of the primary pulmonary artery branches are described. Characteristic pressure tracings were consistently obtained from the main pulmonary trunk in all cases. These typical curves were reproduced in animal experiments. Associated lesions with left-to-right shunts and mild pulmonary valvular stenosis did not alter the characteristics of the curves. An attempt is made to explain these hemodynamic phenomena. These tracings obtained from the main pulmonary trunk appear to us to be diagnostic of bilateral stenosis of the main pulmonary arteries even if, as frequently happens, one is unable to enter both pulmonary artery branches during cardiac catheterization or to demonstrate definitely the stenosis of both pulmonary arteries by angiocardiography.