What is endocardial cushion defect?

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What is endocardial cushion defect?

Endocardial cushion defect (ECD) is a congenital (since birth) heart disease. With this condition, the walls (septum) that normally keep all four heart chambers separate don’t form right or are missing. Tricuspid and mitral valves that control blood flow between your heart’s upper and lower chambers don’t form correctly, either.

Without these natural separations in your baby’s heart, their blood doesn’t follow an organized path through their heart. Because of missing walls and valves:

  • More blood than normal is sent to your baby’s lungs, causing high blood pressure there.
  • High blood pressure in their lungs makes blood go the wrong direction, allowing oxygen-rich blood and oxygen-poor blood to mix.
  • It takes extra force to pump blood. This can weaken your baby’s heart muscle.

Types of endocardial cushion defect

Babies with endocardial cushion defects can have a problem with the walls between their atria (upper chambers), ventricles (lower chambers) or both. Also, mitral and tricuspid valve issues can differ.

Type of Endocardial Cushion DefectAtrial or Ventricular Septal Defect (ASD or VSD)Mitral and Tricuspid Valve StatusCompleteBoth atrial and ventricularOne valve instead of two.Incomplete or partialBoth atrial and ventricular or just atrialTwo separate valves, but the mitral one may have a leak.

Endocardial cushion defect is also known as an atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) or atrioventricular canal defect. It’s associated with other problems people are born with, such as:

  • Tetralogy of Fallot.
  • Double outlet right ventricle.
  • Transposition of the great arteries (two main arteries are in the wrong place).
  • Patent ductus arteriosus.
  • Single ventricle.

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