Aorto-ventricular tunnel: Aortic regurgitation and noncompaction cardiomyopathy – Common late associations after repair

Abstract

Aorto-ventricular tunnels are rare, congenital extracardiac connections arising from the tubular ascending aorta, above the sinotubular junction, which communicate directly with the ventricular cavity. We present long-term follow-up in a series of five adults undergoing pediatric repair and describe the cardiovascular features and outcomes. Significant aortic regurgitation, ascending aortic aneurysm and left ventricular noncompaction were found to be highly prevalent, emphasizing the need for ongoing surveillance following repair of this anomaly.

Keywords

• Aorto-ventricular tunnels
• Left ventricular noncompaction
• Aortic valve dysfunction
• Aortic aneurysm