Surgical repair of atrioventricular septal defect with common atrioventricular valve in early infancy

• Published in: Cardiology in the young 2006-09, Vol.16 (S3), p.52-58
• Main Authors: Lacour-Gayet, François, Campbell, David N., Mitchell, Max, Malhotra, Sunil, Anderson, Robert H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atrioventricular canal; atrioventricular valves; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - methods; conduction tissues; Electrocardiography; Follow-Up Studies; Heart; Heart Septal Defects - diagnostic imaging; Heart Septal Defects - mortality; Heart Septal Defects - surgery; Humans; Infant; Mitral Valve - abnormalities; Mitral Valve - diagnostic imaging; Mitral Valve - surgery; Mortality; Rastelli classification; Retrospective Studies; Survival Rate; The Atrioventricular Valves; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 1047-9511; 1467-1107
• DOI: 10.1017/S104795110600076X

The repair of atrioventricular septal defect with a common atrioventricular valve is reconstructive surgery at its best, and hence one of the favourite operations performed by paediatric cardiac surgeons. In the past, the post-operative course from such patients was dominated by the occurrence of pulmonary hypertension crises, which were responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Nowadays, repair is generally undertaken early in infancy, and this approach has mitigated the problems emanating from pulmonary hypertension. Coupled with a better understanding of the anatomy, and adaptation of the surgical techniques, repair can now be achieved safely at around 2 to 4 months of life, without increasing the risk of postoperative regurgitation across the reconstructed left atrioventricular valve. In this review, we discuss the surgical techniques required for, and clinical results of, such early repair.