Atrial septal defect echocardiography ostium primum


 * Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org]; ; Assistant Editor(s)-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [mailto:kfeeney@perfuse.org]

For a full discussion on ostium primum defects click here. For a full discussion on the usage of echocardiography for atrial septal defect diagnosis click here.

Overview
Echocardiography is the preferred diagnostic tool in the evaluation of an atrial septal defect. In general, an atrial septal defect patient will present symptomatic evidence of hemodynamic disruptions between the left and right atrium. Other more specific characteristics exist in echocardiography to identify various classifications of atrial septal defects.

Echocardiography and Ostium Primum Defects
An ostium primum defect can be identified on an echocardiogram in many ways.
 * An apical 4 chamber view serves as the best plane to visualize the anatomy of the ostium primum.
 * Can be visualized by examination of the lower part of the septum near the valvular inlet where it occurs.
 * May be visualized by identification of associated anomalies: cleft mitral valve, ventricular septal defect, atriovalvular regurgitation, abnormal valvular leaflet insertions, tricuspid valve, and other endocardial cushion defects.

Ostium Primum Defect Imaging
'''These videos show an echocardiographic view of an Ostium primum defect. Ostium primum atrial septal defect occurs due to failure of fusion of the septum primum with endocardial cushion (portion of the heart where the atrial septum meets the ventricular septum and the mitral valve meets the tricuspid valve). Due to this, these defects commonly occurs in association with other cardiac anomalies such as atrioventricular valves (the mitral valve and the tricuspid valve).'''







Defect is present in the lower portion of the inter-atrial septum.