Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Complete Atrioventricular Canal Defect

Abstract

Echocardiography has been successfully used in the diagnosis of various congenital cardiovascular anomalies. Recent reports have described the findings in complete atrio-ventricular canal defect.^{1, 2} Three major findings have been reported to be of diagnostic value in this condition. A single atrio-ventricular valve leaflet which is located in a posterior position in the left ventricle in systole moves into a markedly anterior position in the right ventricle with diastole. A double diastolic contour of the mitral valve as well as prolonged diastolic approximation of the anterior mitral leaflet to the inter-ventricular septum may be present. In this report our echocardiographic experience in the diagnosis of complete atrioventricular canal defect is described.