Assessment of Atrioventricular Septal Defect on Echocardiography

Abstract

Atrioventricular septal defect comprise of 1.4-2.9% of congenital cardiac defect and is most common congenital cardiac defect in Trisomy 21. This anomaly is characterized by a common atrioventricular junction coexisting with atrial and/or ventricular septal defect, cleft of left atrioventriocular valve along with left ventricular outflow tract abnormality. Due to cleft of left atrioventricular valve, valve regurgitation is almost invariably present leading to early onset of congestive cardiac failure in these patients. Other associated structural heart defects are pulmonary stenosis, ductal arteriosus, aortic arch anomalies, pulmonary and systemic venous anomalies and unbalaned atrioventricular valve connection leading to univentricular physiology. Echocardiography plays very crucial role in defning the anomaly and planning management In this article, I am going to focus on role of echocardiography in atrioventricular septal defect.