PERSISTENT TRUNCUS ARTERIOSUS COMMUNIS

Abstract

Among the many malformations of the heart and of the great vessels, those arising because of failure of the aorticopulmonary septum to develop constitute a group both interesting and small. Shapiro¹accepted only two cases as genuine examples of this defect, while Humphreys²in a comprehensive review cited two more, adding a fifth of her own. Both of these authors included the case reported by Preisz,³an inclusion the wisdom of which I question. The most recent report of an authentic truncus communis was by Beaver.⁴It is impossible from the meager data given by Motta⁵to reach any conclusion as to the real condition present in his 5 day old subject. Since a careful study of malformed hearts constitutes a major portion of the experimental work on cardiac embryology, I feel justified in reporting a rather unusual example of this rare defect. <h3>REPORT OF</h3>