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Endocardial cushion defect - Symptom

Alternative Names

Atrioventricular (AV) canal defect; Atrioventricular septal defect; AVSD

Symptoms:

Symptoms of ECD may include:

Baby tires easily
Bluish skin color (the lips may also be blue)
Failure to gain weight and grow
Frequent pneumonia
Lack of appetite
Pale skin (pallor)
Rapid breathing
Rapid heartbeat
Sweating
Swollen legs or abdomen (rare in children)
Trouble breathing, especially during feeding

Signs and tests:

Signs of ECD may include:

An abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG)
An enlarged heart
Heart murmur

Children with partial ECD, who have only a small VSD and normal valves, may not have signs or symptoms of the disorder during childhood.

Tests to diagnose ECD include:

Ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram) to see blood flow
An electrocardiogram (ECG), which measures the electrical activity in the heart
Chest x-ray, which may show an enlarged heart
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart, which provides a detailed image of the heart through the use of powerful magnets
Cardiac catheterization (in some cases), a procedure in which a thin tube (catheter) is placed into the heart to see blood flow and take accurate measurements of blood pressure and oxygen levels

Atrioventricular canal (endocardial cushion defect)

Reviewed last on: 4/30/2010
Kurt R. Schumacher, MD, Pediatric Cardiology, University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center, Ann Arbor, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Park MK. Pediatric Cardiology for Practitioners, 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:181-189:chap 12.

Townsend Jr. CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:1760-1762.

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