Ventricular morphology in the univentricular heart.

Area of Science:

• Congenital Heart Disease
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Cardiac Morphology

Background:

• Univentricular heart is defined by single atrial connection to the ventricular mass.
• This definition includes hearts with two ventricular chambers if one lacks direct atrial input.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the spectrum of ventricular morphology in univentricular hearts.
• To identify and classify different types of ventricular chamber arrangements and their variations.

Main Methods:

• Morphological analysis of hearts with univentricular connections.
• Classification based on main chamber pattern (left, right, indeterminate) and presence/type of rudimentary chambers.

Main Results:

• Identified three main ventricular morphologies: main left with rudimentary right, main right with rudimentary left, and indeterminate.
• Observed variations in rudimentary chamber type, position, and outlet connections (trabecular pouches vs. outlet chambers).
• Documented diverse atrioventricular valve and arterial connection patterns associated with these morphologies.

Conclusions:

• Ventricular morphology is a key determinant in univentricular hearts.
• Understanding these morphological variations is essential for diagnosis and management of complex congenital heart disease.