Background: Atrioventricular septal defects (AVSDs) include a variable spectrum of congenital malformations with different forms of clinical findings.

Methods: In this study, we report the surgical results for with this type of congenital cardiac malformation obtained in a single institution. Between November 1998 and January 2009, 58 patients with complete AVSD were operated on by the same team in the same department. In all patients, complete biventricular correction was performed. The mean bypass time (extracorporeal circulation; ECC) was 71.7 min. and the mean aortic clamping time was 50.1 min. The complete defects were corrected by the double patch technique and mitral cleft was closed in all except two patients.

Results: There was no intraoperative mortality, but hospital mortality was 6.9% (n=4), due to the pulmonary hypertension crises occuring in the first 15 postoperative days. During the follow-up four re-operations (6.9%) were performed: two for residual ventricular septal defects and two for mitral regurgitation. No mortality occurred during re-operations. In long-term follow-up mild and moderate -residual mitral regurgitation were detected in 26 and 3 patients, respectively.

Conclusion: Complete correction of AVSD can be carried out with acceptable results in a varied spectrum of anatomic forms and clinical severity despite the age of correctionby using double patch technique.