Left ventricular inflow obstruction and atrial septal defect: diagnosis by real time two-dimensional echocardiography

This report describes the usefulness of real time two-dimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis of left ventricular inflow obstruction associated with atrial septal defect. Echocardiographically, left ventricular inflow obstruction was at the level of the mitral valve in case one, mitral and subvalvular in cases 2 and 3 and supravalvular in case 4 (left atrial membrane). In all patients the defect was of the secundum variety and was seen as a constant discontinuity in the atrial septal image. The diagnosis was confirmed in all patients by cardiac catheterization, surgery or autopsy.