Congenital heart defects and abnormalities newly detected with echocardiography in adolescents and adults

: In 12,576 consecutive Doppler-echocardiographic studies (DE) performed on 11,450 patients over 3 years (1987-1989), 183 newly diagnosed congenital heart abnormalities were detected in 161 patients. The age of the 161 patients (86 female, 75 male) ranged from 16 to 84 years (median 34.5). The highest incidences of pathologies were those of ASD II (29%) and VSD (11%). With decreasing frequency the following abnormalities were diagnosed: pulmonary valve disease (8%), interatrial septal aneurysms (7%), membranous subvalvular aortic stenosis (5%), anomalous pulmonary venous connections (4%), atrioventricular canal defects (4%), persistent left superior venae cavae (4%), patent ductus arteriosus (4%), aneurysms of the membranous septum (4%), and sinus venosus defects (3%). Less common findings were coarctation of the aorta (2.5%), persistent sinusoids (2.5%), arteriovenous fistulas (2.5%), congenital LV-aneurysms (2.5%), Ebstein's anomalies (1%), anomalies of the papillary muscles (1%) and RV-dysplasias (1%). Rare findings were a cor triatriatum, a tetralogy of Fallot, a partial defect of the pericardium, a pulmonic atresia with VSD, an isolated cleft of the tricuspid valve, and finally a connection of a hepatic vein to the right atrium. In conclusion, we found an incidence of 1.4% in newly diagnosed congenital heart disease in adolescents and adults undergoing DE. 32 of 159 patients (20%) were referred to surgery, while endocarditis prophylaxis was indicated in 45%.