How should we optimally describe complex congenitally malformed hearts?

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Morphology
• Congenital Heart Disease
• Anatomical Description

Background:

• Lack of consensus exists on describing complex congenital heart malformations.
• Current methods include segmental combinations or descriptive approaches.
• A standardized descriptive system is needed for clarity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a simple, descriptive method for classifying complex congenital heart malformations.
• To demonstrate the utility of this descriptive approach in anatomical assessment.
• To establish a reliable method for predicting conduction tissue location.

Main Methods:

• Review of personal experience examining congenitally malformed hearts.
• Identification of constant anatomical components: atrial appendages, ventricular apical trabecular regions, and arterial trunk branching patterns.
• Description based on the connections between chambers and trunks, with separate accounting for additional features.

Main Results:

• A consistent method was developed to define atrial and ventricular chamber morphology and arterial trunks.
• All hearts could be described based on the interconnections of these defined components.
• Additional morphologic features and abnormal relationships were systematically described.

Conclusions:

• A simple descriptive approach effectively characterizes complex congenital heart malformations.
• This method does not rely on developmental concepts.
• It enables accurate basic descriptions and prediction of conduction tissue location in novel cases.