Congenital heart defects: A morphological approach

Abstract

Congenitally malformed hearts are often perceived as too complex for the general practitioner. By using a descriptive method, each malformed heart can be analyzed systematically without reference to presumptions of what went wrong during cardiac embryogenesis. The basis of this method, systemic segmental approach, is reviewed followed by examples of the common malformations.

Keywords

• atrial isomerism; atrioventricular; segmental analysis; univentricular; ventriculo-arterial