Common arterial trunk

Definition

A rare congenital cardiac malformation characterized by a single arterial trunk arising from the heart, giving origin sequentially to the coronary arteries, one or more pulmonary arteries, and the systemic arterial circulation. Two forms exist: common arterial trunk (CAT) with aortic dominance (unobstructed aortic arch) and one or both pulmonary arteries originating from the trunk, and CAT with pulmonary dominance and interrupted aortic arch or coarctation.