Atrioventricular nodal dysfunction in patients with atrial septal defect. Abnormalities of conduction and reciprocal rhythms

Conduction system in sudden unexpected death a considerable time after repair of atrial septal defect

The cause of sudden death in young people with congenital heart disease, months or years postoperatively following total surgical correction, is today unknown despite complete autopsy. This is a study of the conduction system in four cases of atrial septal defect of the fossa ovalis type (secundum) who died suddenly several months to years following surgical repair and who were living a normal life. The study suggests that changes in the sinoatrial node and its approaches produced by surgery aided by a pulling effect of a floppy mitral valve on the central fibrous body and hence, on the conduction system, and the unknown familial genetic arrhythmic effect on the conduction system contributed to the sudden death of these patients.