Summary
Aortico-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT) is a very rare cardiac malformation with only
25 cases having been reported in the literature. This paper describes another 5 cases
with surgical repair at the ages of 4, 5, 6, and 14 years, respectively. (A fifth
case in an 11-year-old boy was operated upon just recently and is described separately
in the addendum). The anatomical and clinical findings and diagnostic procedures including
angiocardiography are reviewed. The surgical management is discussed, and the late
results after follow-up periods of 5, 11, 13, and 16 years are presented. Three patients
are doing well although showing clinical signs of mild aortic valve insufficiency,
and one patient required aortic valve replacement 13 years after operation because
of massive aortic regurgitation. Early surgical repair is recommended as soon as the
diagnosis is established by angiocardiography in order to prevent secondary aortic
valve lesion by dilatation of the aortic ring and aneurysmatic dilatation of the ventricular
septum.
Key Words
Aortico-left ventricular tunnel - Surgical treatment - Late results
