In this section
This is usually a large defect involving both the atrial (ASD) and the ventricular (VSD) septums, which allows blood to pass freely between the two ventricles and the atriums. The valve apparatus at the junction between atriums and ventricles is "shared" - there being effectively only one valve instead of the normal two. Blood flow and pressure in the lung circulation is substantially increased. Early surgical repair is needed in most cases (in the first four to six months).
Surgical repair usually involves two patches. One closes the Atrial Septal Defect and the other repairs the Ventricular Septal Defect. The Atrioventricular valve is carefully separated into two valves which are attached to the two patches. This allows the two sides of the heart to function independently, each now having its own individual valve - as in the normal heart. The repaired valves are not completely normal and may sometimes allow blood to leak back through the valve (Valve Incompetence).
Go to Normal Heart