title: Surgical correction of common atrium without noncardiac congenital anomalies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Common atrium (CA) is a rare congenital heart defect. We reviewed our experience of surgical treatment of CA and summarize the clinical features of CA and the key techniques for surgical correction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 1984 and August 2010, 37 consecutive cases of CA underwent corrective surgery. There were no clinical findings of Down, asplenia-polysplenia or Ellis-van Creveld syndromes in all cases. Mitral valvuloplasty was performed in 34 cases, and tricuspid valvuloplasty in 20 cases. Complete closure of a mitral cleft was required in 32 cases. All new atrial septa were reconstructed using patches. Follow-up period ranged from 1 to 20 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no hospital deaths or conduction system block. After surgery, mild mitral insufficiency was observed in only one case. Two cases had moderate-severe mitral insufficiency at postoperative years 1 and 3, respectively, that required mitral valve replacements. One patient died of low cardiac output syndrome after reoperation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term survival after surgical correction of CA is good. Routine closure of a cleft in the mitral valve is very important for successful surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Northern Hospital of Shenyang, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: HuiShan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: ZengWei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: HongYu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: RenFu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D058385:Cardiac Valve Annuloplasty / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult