SummaryMalfunctioning of the left atrioventricular valve has always been, and remains, the major incremental risk factor in the repair of atrioventricular septal defect. Now that the cardiac surgeon has ample time to assess the anatomy and function of the left valve, results have improved, but are still less than ideal. On the presumption that the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve is “cleft” in this anomaly, it used to be common practice to close the “cleft”. Currently, a substantial number of surgeons employ this technique, often irrespective of the individual anatomy, and in the majority of cases with success.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.