Atrioventricular Canal Defect

Atrioventricular canal defect, or “AV canal defect”, is a condition where a combination of congenital (present at birth) heart defects results in a large hole in the center of the heart. Since it develops while a baby is growing in the womb, this condition may be diagnosed during prenatal tests. Babies can have either a complete or a partial AV canal defect, but heart surgery will be needed to repair the problem and the heart defects that caused it. 

If your baby has AV canal defect, our board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons (specialists in surgical procedures of the chest, including the heart and lungs) are here to educate your family, address your concerns, and offer advanced diagnostic and treatment planning. The Nemours Children's Cardiac Center offers world-class pediatric heart care, delivered in a family-centered setting.

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Atrioventricular Canal Defect

Atrioventricular canal defect, or “AV canal defect”, is a condition where a combination of congenital (present at birth) heart defects results in a large hole in the center of the heart. Since it develops while a baby is growing in the womb, this condition may be diagnosed during prenatal tests. Babies can have either a complete or a partial AV canal defect, but heart surgery will be needed to repair the problem and the heart defects that caused it. 

If your baby has AV canal defect, our board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons (specialists in surgical procedures of the chest, including the heart and lungs) are here to educate your family, address your concerns, and offer advanced diagnostic and treatment planning. The Nemours Children's Cardiac Center offers world-class pediatric heart care, delivered in a family-centered setting.

Contact Us
Atrioventricular Canal Defect

Why Choose Us

Our Nemours Cardiac Center team has the experience to provide accurate, efficient diagnosis and treatment of your baby’s atrioventricular canal defect. World-class heart care requires the compassion to understand your family's journey, and the expertise to heal even the most complex conditions. Our cardiac surgeons treat a vast array of heart defects in infants, children and teens, using the most innovative, up-to-date approaches. Our specialty is the early detection and repair of heart problems. Nemours heart care specialists have been recognized for their commitment to delivering top-notch, compassionate care to children with congenital heart disease. 

Regional Care Highlights

Delaware Valley Highlights

Delaware/Greater Philadelphia

We offer care for newborns and children with atrioventricular canal defect care at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware (Wilmington, Del.) and select Nemours locations. 

The Nemours Cardiac Center at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware offers a complete range of pediatric cardiology and heart surgery services. 

Florida Highlights

Central Florida

We offer care for newborns and children with atrioventricular canal defect care at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, in Orlando and select Nemours specialty care locations.  

Our renowned pediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery team at the Nemours Cardiac Center in Central Florida offers inpatient, critical and surgical care at Nemours Children’s Hospital — including dedicated cardiac anesthesiologists and state-of-the-art cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). 

A dedicated cardiac program for kids with Down syndrome. Since about half of the babies born with Down syndrome also have congenital heart defects, our Cardiac Center experts work with our on-site neuromuscular specialists to evaluate and treat heart defects — including atrioventricular and ventricular septal defects and tetralogy of Fallot. 

Northwest Florida

We offer atrioventricular canal defect care at Nemours Children’s Health, Pensacola and our hospital affiliate, West Florida Healthcare, with outpatient and follow-up appointments also available at select Nemours locations.

Our Nemours Cardiac Center in Pensacola is home to one of the few accredited pediatric transthoracic and fetal echocardiography labs in Florida and, if needed, can facilitate the transfer of extremely ill children between our Nemours Cardiac Center locations (e.g., to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida).

Find Care at Nemours

We have many pediatric specialists and locations — find the care closest to you: