Search

Aim Left atrioventricular (AV) valve regurgitation is the most serious residual lesion after surgical correction of atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD). Despite improvements in surgical techniques, left AV valve regurgitation continues to be the most serious problem after surgery. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the risk factors of the left AV valve regurgitation by evaluating clinical and echocardiographic findings of patients with AVSD, retrospectively. Material and methods In this study, 78 patients were enrolled. Preoperative echocardiographic findings, operation data, postoperative echocardiography findings were recorded. Results Fifteen patients (19%) were partial, 26 patients (33%) were intermediate and 37 patients (47%) were complete type. Forty-seven patients (60.3%) were female and 25 patients (32%) had Down’s syndrome. The median age at diagnosis was 6 months ranged from one day to 12 years. The median age at operation was 10 months (3–180 months) and the median weight at operation was 6.8 kg (4–49 kg). The total follow-up was a median of 103 months (28 days-268 months). In patients with partial AVSD, there was no significant difference in left AV valve regurgitation in the first, postoperative and last echocardiography (p> 0.05). In patients with intermediate and complete AVSD, left AV valve regurgitation was higher in the final echocardiography than in the first echocardiography (p = 0.007 and p = 0.01, respectively). According to the univariate analysis; age, gender, the presence of Down syndrome, operation type, annuloplasty, and pulmonary hypertension were not associated with moderate or severe left AV regurgitation after surgical repair (p> 0.05). Left AV valve regurgitation in the first echocardiographic examination was found to be the only predictor of left AV valve regurgitation in the last echocardiographic examination (p=0.001). There was only one patient who was reoperated for severe left AV valve regurgitation. Conclusion The most important postoperative problem in patients with AVSD is left AV valve regurgitation. Left AV valve regurgitation in the first echocardiographic examination was found as a potential risk factor on left AV valve regurgitation.