title: The surgical anatomy and treatment of interatrial communications.
abstract: Holes permitting shunting between the atrial chambers can take various anatomical forms, varying from the patent oval foramen, which shunts only from right-to-left, to the so-called sinus venosus defect, which is associated with anomalous connection of the pulmonary veins. Our review deals with all forms of interatrial communications, except for the so-called 'primum' defect, since although the lesion produces interatrial shunting of blood, the atrioventricular septal defect with common atrioventricular junction but separate valvar orifices for the right and left ventricles, is strictly an atrioventricular septal defect. In addition, the review illustrates in detail the morphological features of interatrial communications, and describes surgical challenges and approaches.
authors.affiliation: German Heart Center Munich, Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Technical University, Lazarettstrasse 36, 80636 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hörer
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Libera
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Anderson