Introduction: The absence of right atrioventricular connection is the third most common cyanotic congenital heart disease. The absence of atrioventricular connection can be right or left. The therapeutic management varies according to the anatomy.
Objectives: Determine the clinical and morphologic characteristics that allow the survival of patients with absence of atrioventricular connection and highlight the importance of echocardiographic technique.
Methods: Twenty four patients were studied. All had a clinical history, echocardiogram and hemodynamic study.
Results: The NYHA functional class of the group was I/II in the 87.5 %. The electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm in the 92% and dilatation of left ventricle, the chest x-ray cardiomegaly II in 83%. The echocardiogram showed situs solitus and absence of right atrioventricular connection in the 92% of cases. The most frequent ventriculoarterial connection was concordant (71%). All patients had atrial septal defect, 21 ventricular septal defect, 21 decreased pulmonary flow. The ejection fraction of the main ventricle (EFMV) of the group was of 55 ± 10 %. The factors that diminished the survival of these patients were: small atrial septal defect and EFMV less than 40%. Conclusions: The presence of a wide atrial sepal defect and normal EFMV were the factors that allow the survival of these patients to the adulthood.
The echocardiography gives to the clinicians and surgeons very important information.