Heart and Lung Arterial comunication

[gldudek]

For the past 4 1/2 years Ive been to doctor after doctor.It first started after a visit to my doctor for flu symptoms. He didnt want to talk about the flu. Ove a perion of just 2 or so years Ive gotten clubing o the fingure tips , to such a extent that every doctor Ive seen over the past years.The very first thing they want to do is get a camera and take pictures.I was first told after x-rays,CAT scans and MRI's that I had lung cancer, then Pulmonary Fibrosis. My last primary care Doc(B4 loosing insurance) sent me to heart specialist (3 in all), who then sent me to a pulmonary specialist (they refrenced him as a flea in the field who only does consulations to doctors mainly) he in turn suggested that they do a double cathader proceedure.Its was at that time they found what they called a birth deffect.
My coranary artery is branched off and attached to my lung causing high pressure blood to a low pressure area.(this is supposley why i get severe chest pain and shortness in breath) They had advised me that I should have surgery to close (cut and tie off) the communication.The doctor they wanted to do the surgery was in Miami and was waiting to get response back from him.Then I lost my insurance and my primary doctor went to IRAQ.

My question's are.
1)Is this a possible life threating problem
2)Most of my doctors dont beleave this caused the sudden clubbing
3)How common is this

Not to offend anyone but I truly dont know who to beleave anymore,,after being told of cancer etc. I just want to know how common and what to suspect

[National Jewish Health]

Your description suggests that you have what is called a coronary artery fistula, with a left to right shunt, as you indicate, from a high pressure to a low pressure system.  This causes increased blood flow through the pulmonary arteries, increased work of the right side of your heart, which is normally designed to pump against low pressure, and ultimately elevation of the pressure in the circulation of the lung called pulmonary hypertension.  In some instances of left to right shunts, the normally low pressure pulmonary circulation can rise high enough to reverse the shunt and remain high permanently.

Clubbing is but a sign of a number of diseases including, but not limited to, lung cancer, chronic suppurative infectious lung disease and cyanotic heart disease that caused blueness of the fingers and lips, and with rare exception, not seen when the abnormal blood flow is from the left side of the heart to the right side of the heart.  Your clubbing would appear to be due to congenital heart disease.  The key question raised by the presence of clubbing would be is there yet another abnormality of the circulation in addition to the coronary artery to lung circulation flow through which low oxygenated blood is flowing from the right heart to the left?  If so, it would be most important that this be identified and a plan formulated to address it surgically, prior to any heart surgery.

Yes, as described, your condition is probably very uncommon, is a potentially life threatening problem and should be treated only by a cardiac surgeon, greatly experienced in the surgery of congenital heart disease.  If you have not been evaluated by a cardiologist and a heart surgeon, you should be so evaluated at the earliest feasible time depending on insurance and your other finances.  Treatment of your condition is not an emergency but the less delay the better.

Good luck.