Corrective Repair of Complete Atrioventricular Canal Defects and Major Associated Cardiac Anomalies

Abstract

Twenty-nine patients with balanced forms of complete atrioventricular (AV) canal defects and tetralogy of Fallot in 12, double-outlet right ventricle (DORV) in 10, and additional anomalies associated with atrial isomerism in 7 underwent corrective repair. Age ranged from 39 days to 24 years (median, 3.7 years). Repair included reconstruction of the common AV valve in 25 patients and prosthetic valve replacement in 4. Construction of an intraventricular tunnel connecting the left ventricle with the aorta was accomplished in 23 of 25 patients with ventriculoarterial concordant or double-outlet connections. In 2 patients with situs inversus and associated DORV and in 4 patients in the isomerism group who had ventriculoarterial discordant connections, repair included intraatrial venous diversion by a modified Senning procedure in 2, a modified Mustard venous switch in 1, and a tailored atrial baffle in 3. A valved extracardiac conduit was required for repair in 4 patients. Partial anomalous systemic venous connection was repaired in 7 patients and total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, in 5. There was 1 hospital death (3%) and 3 late deaths (11%). There was 1 (3.6%) reoperation to replace an incompetent right (systemic) AV valve 17 months postoperatively, and each of the 25 surviving patients was in New York Heart Association Functional Class I (80%) or II (20%) at follow-up.