Components of the cardiac septum
o Floor of the fossa ovalis (thin)
o Muscular rims around it
o Coronary sinus orifice
o Ventricular septum
o Tricuspid and mitral valve attachments
Proportion of CHD represented by ASD, AVSD and VSD
o ASD (8% CHD)
o AVSD (4% CHD)
o VSD (32% CHD)
Key features to note about a VSD
Size
Location
Tissue
Associated malformations
Proximity to important structures (valves and conduction system)
Nomenclature of VSDs
e.g., 3mm Perimembranous Outlet
Are VSDs the same size on RV and LV aspect?
No
Possible VSD locations
o Inlet
o Outlet
o Apical/trabercular
Possible VSD tissues
o Muscular
o Perimembranous
o Doubly committed / juxtaarterial
Key features of muscular VSD
Key features of perimembranous VSD
Key features of doubly committed VSD
Describe ASD
Communication between atrial chambers
Key features to note about an ASD
Key thing about septum orientation to remember when assessing ASD
When visualizing in short axis images, the septum is ‘oblique’ rather than perfectly transverse. It is also relatively close to the aorta, this is something important to bear in mind when considering device closure, don’t want to ‘clip’ the aorta
Normal interatrial septum features
List the types of ASD, starting SUPERIORLY
ASD: Key features of secundum ASD (oval fossa)
o Persistence of the ‘ostium secundum’
o Deficient flap valve closing the ostium (flap valve = septum primum)
o Often has fenestrations
o Amenable to device closure, size variable
o Can have windsock configuration
ASD: Key features of superior sinus venosus defects
o Superior to the oval fossa
o Near where SVC enters the RA
o Associated nearly always with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection
o PV entering the SVC
o Sinus node is close slightly anterior
o Therefore at risk during surgical procedures to repair
ASD: Key features of inferior sinus venosus defects
o Arises near where the IVC empties into the RA
o Relatively close to AV node
ASD: Features of coronary sinus defects
o Lesion at the position of the coronary sinus orifice
o Close to AV node
o Commonly associated with persistence of left SVC
ASD: Key features of vestibular defects
o In the region leading to the right AV valve orifice
o Between AV node and oval fossa
o In the sinus septum region of the RA
o Tend to be quite small
Describe atrioventricular septal defects
Also known as AV canal defect, ostium primum defect, endocardial cushion defect
There is a loss of offset between the atrioventricular valves, instead there is a hole in the septum
Key features characterising AVSD
Due to lack of AV junction, there is displacement of LVOTO to more anterior than normal (usually it sits in the anterior groove)
Valve configuration in AVSD
o 5-leaflet AV valve guards AV junction
o Superior and inferior bridging leaflets are distinctive
o Then three other leaflets with different configurations depending on the configuration of AVSD
Two main configurations of AVSD