Man in his 70s diagnosed with heart defect usually found in infancy
Summary
Carlos Perez, 72, was diagnosed with cor triatriatum after an episode of atrial fibrillation led doctors to scan his heart. The rare birth defect creates a membrane that divides one upper heart chamber; Perez’s membrane had a small opening that let blood flow for decades, but it narrowed as he aged. After another episode in September 2025, doctors determined he needed surgery and sought help from a specialist who had treated the condition in children.Key Facts
- Perez developed a pounding heartbeat and chest pain at his car repair shop in June 2025.
- Hospital doctors diagnosed him with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm.
- An advanced scan revealed cor triatriatum, a congenital defect in which a membrane divides one of the heart’s upper chambers.
- The membrane left Perez’s heart with five chambers rather than the usual four.
- A small gap in the membrane allowed blood to flow through Perez’s heart for many years.
- As Perez aged, the gap narrowed and his heart came under increased stress.
- After medication failed to prevent another episode in September 2025, doctors shocked his heart back into a normal rhythm.
- Cardiologists and a cardiac surgeon consulted a children’s heart surgeon to help plan the operation.
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