CONGENITAL HEART BLOCK

Abstract

Heart block, an interesting and rare complication, is almost always associated with interventricular septal defect. Congenital heart block without evidence of a septal defect was found in two siblings, in one of whose parents there was also a Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.¹ Histological studies reported by Yater² disclosed a separation of the auriculoventricular node from the bundle of His by a central fibrous body. Other rare causes of heart block are bacterial endocarditis with inflammatory changes to the septum, neoplasm, tuberculosis, and cysts invading the conducting tissues. Aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva has also been noted in congenital heart block.³ In itself congenital heart block is not serious and is apparently compatible with a long life and full activity. The serious prognosis in some cases is determined by associated cardiac anomalies. In the series of 44 cases collected by Yater⁴ and co-workers, symptoms were uncommon and cyanosis