OBJECTIVETo summarize the experience of surgical treatment of single atrium.

METHODSFrom August 1984 to August 2004, there were 33 patients with single atrium in our study. Plastic surgery for mitral valves were performed for 30 cases with mitral insufficiency. Plastic surgery for tricuspid valves were performed for 18 cases with tricuspid valve insufficiency. There were 3 cases only with complete absence of atrial septum. There were 14 cases with left superior vena cava. All new atrial septums were made with patches including 24 autologous pericardial patches and 9 terylene patches. Complicate abnormalities were corrected in the same time. Tow suture techniques were used in operations to prevent conductive system block, and plastic surgery for mitral valves were performed until the mitral valves were sufficiency.

RESULTSThere weren't death and conductive system block after operation in the group. One case was low-grade mitral insufficiency and the others weren't mitral insufficiency. Twenty-five cases were followed up from 3 months to 11 years, and they could work and study normally.

CONCLUSIONSSingle atrium should be operated as early as possible. The key of surgery is to prevent conductive system block, to properly correct mitral insufficiency and to drastically correct complicated abnormality. The new atrial septum should be made by patch and an autologous pericardial patch is the first selection.