Repair of Atrioventricular Septal Defects: The 2-Patch Sandwich Technique

The key elements in the 2-patch method of repair of complete atrioventricular defects include: (1) closure of the ventricular defects using a Dacron patch, (2) closure of the primum atrial defect using an autologous pericardial patch, and (3) securely partitioning the atrioventricular valves into competent left and right components. With limited exceptions, there is sufficient conservation of morphological features of the atrial and ventricular defects as well as that of the atrioventricular valves to allow standardization of the key elements of the surgical repair.