Congenital diverticulum of the ventricle

Ten cases of ventricular diverticula were seen at the Texas Heart Institute between 1965 and 1984. Operations were performed on nine of the 10 patients with no operative mortality. The tenth patient, a 3-month-old infant with multiple abnormalities, was not returned after the initial evaluation. Most diverticular in our series were unsuspected and diagnosed during cardiac catheterization. Symptoms were related mainly to associated malformations, including intracardiac, midline thoracic, diaphragmatic, and abdominal wall defects. The surgical techniques employed in each case varied according to the size and site of the diverticulum and the associated cardiac defects. We recommend surgery for all diagnosed ventricular diverticula, especially when associated with other intracardiac defects.