What question did this study set out to answer?

This research investigates the clinical significance of the persistent right venous valve in otherwise healthy term neonates and its role in inducing right-to-left shunting.

April 27, 2026Open Access

Transient Oxygen Desaturation Associated with Persistent Right Venous Valve-Mediated Right-to-Left Atrial Shunt in Term Neonates

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Persistent right venous valve (PRVV) with patent foramen ovale (PFO)-associated right-to-left atrial shunting (n=10). Primary outcome: Minimum oxygen saturation (SpO2) during hospitalization.

Key Result

Persistent right venous valve with patent foramen ovale-related right-to-left atrial shunting caused transient, self-limiting oxygen desaturation (median minimum SpO2 87%) in healthy term neonates.

Key Points

This research investigates the clinical significance of the persistent right venous valve in otherwise healthy term neonates and its role in inducing right-to-left shunting.
Evaluated cases of term neonates with persistent right venous valve and associated transient oxygen desaturation.
Utilized echocardiography to assess the presence of right-to-left atrial shunting through patent foramen ovale.
Analyzed clinical outcomes related to oxygen saturation levels following shunting.
Identified significant instances of transient oxygen desaturation linked to right-to-left shunting through the patent foramen ovale.
Demonstrated that persistent right venous valve can contribute to cyanosis requiring medical or surgical management in some cases.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=10)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

Term neonates with persistent right venous valve (PRVV)

Outcome

Transient oxygen desaturation

Persistent right venous valve may facilitate right-to-left atrial shunting and cause transient oxygen desaturation in term neonates.

Limitations

Retrospective, single-center study with a small sample size
Frequency and duration of individual desaturation episodes were not systematically quantified
Echocardiographic evaluation was primarily qualitative
No comparison group of term neonates without PRVV
Findings apply only to term neonates with a stable general condition

Abstract

Background Persistent right venous valve (PRVV), a remnant of the fetal right valve of the sinus venosus, may facilitate right-to-left atrial shunting through the patent foramen ovale (PFO). Although PRVV has been reported to cause severe neonatal cyanosis requiring surgical intervention, its clinical significance in otherwise healthy term neonates remains poorly defined.

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Cite This Study

Mino et al. (Thu,) conducted a observational in Persistent right venous valve (PRVV) with patent foramen ovale (PFO)-associated right-to-left atrial shunting (n=10). Persistent right venous valve with patent foramen ovale-related right-to-left atrial shunting caused transient, self-limiting oxygen desaturation (median minimum SpO2 87%) in healthy term neonates.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69eefcaefede9185760d3a2d https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33160/yam.2026.05.002