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Table 9-3

Common Congenital Cardiac Defects

Cardiac DefectPrevalenceaFindings
VSD41.8Abnormal communication between left and right ventricles, causing shunt
Atrial septal defect13.1Abnormal communication between left and right atria
Tetralogy of Fallot4.7VSD, overriding aorta, pulmonary artery stenosis, right ventricular hypertrophy
Coarctation of aorta4.4Narrowing of the aorta
Endocardial cushion defect/atrioventricular septal defect4.1Missing “crux” of the heart in four-chamber view
Patent ductus arteriosus2.9Open ductus arteriosus, persistent connection between the pulmonary artery and the aorta
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome2.3Small left ventricle, aortic atresia, hypoplastic mitral valve
Transposition of great arteries2.3Aorta arises from right ventricle and pulmonary artery from left.
Total anomalous pulmonary venous return0.8Abnormal venous return of oxygenated blood from the lungs to right atrium instead of to the left atrium
Persistent truncus arteriosus0.6Single overriding arterial trunk

Abbreviation: VSD, ventricular septal defect.


aPer 10 000 live births.