title: [A rare ventricular septal defect: a case report].
abstract: Left ventricular-right atrial communications, known collectively as the Gerbode defect, are rare types of ventricular septal defects. Acquired forms of this defect have been described as a complication of cardiac surgery, bacterial endocarditis, chest trauma, or myocardial infarction. Diagnosis of this rare defect is challenging, but can be confirmed with echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Until 6 years ago, these communications were corrected only surgically, often with relatively high mortality. However, few case reports of transcatheter closures of the defects have recently been reported with excellent results. We describe a 69-year-old patient with left ventricular-right atrial communication secondary to mitral valve surgery. The diagnosis was made by transesophageal and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography. The defect was closed percutaneously using an Amplatzer device. At follow-up, there was no residual flow and the patient improved clinically.
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. di Cardiologia, Dipartimento Cardio-Nefro-Polmonare, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma. francescanotarangelo@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Maria Francesca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Notarangelo
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bontardelli
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Taliani
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agostinelli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vignali
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ardissino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male