Texas Heart Institute journal
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Complete atrioventricular canal defect is a serious and complex cardiac anomaly that is frequently associated with other congenital cardiac defects. Its natural course is ultimately fatal; 80% of children born with this defect will die within 2 years. ⋯ The risk of corrective surgery for this defect in infancy has steadily decreased because of improvements in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and postoperative management. This report describes our current surgical technique for primary corrective repair of complete atrioventricular canal defect, with a review of recent results of this procedure in 34 patients.