ATRIOVENTRICULAR VALVE COMPETENCE AND VENTRICULAR GROWTH IN BIVENTRICULAR REPAIR OF UNBALANCED ATRIOVENTRICULAR CANAL

摘要

I read with fascination the excellent contribution by Dr Foker and colleagues to the supplement issue of the April 2012 volume of the Journal on the topic of valve repair in unbalanced atrioventricular canal, expanding on a series of infants in whom this same approach was used, which Foker and colleagues first reported in 1999. The report focuses not only on atrioventricular valve competence but also more importantly on promoting ventricular growth in unbalanced ventricles, with the brave goal of consistently achieving satisfactory biventricular repair. With borderline anatomy, the results of single-ventricle repair are poor, and defining echocardiographic criteria to better select those patients who may benefit from biventricular repair is important.