Atrioventricular defect

This condition was previously known as the atrioventricular canal defect or endocardial cushion defect.

This condition consists of different combinations of:

• primum atrial septal defect
  • in ostium primum atrial septal defect (ASD) there are separate atrioventricular valvar orifices despite a common junction
    • this contasts with complete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) where the valve itself is also shared
• abnormalities of the atrioventricular valve, varying from a cleft mitral valve to a common atrioventricular valve
• inlet ventricular septal defect

If there is a complete atrioventricular defect then there is an atrial component, a ventricular component and a common atrioventricular valve.

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An AVSD with unequal position of the common AV valve above the ventricles is accompanied by a variable degree of ventricular hypoplasia (unbalanced AVSD)