Presentation
There are two types of complex congenital heart defects:
- Syndromic forms (often sporadic)
- Non-syndromic familial forms
There is considerable genetic heterogeneity in complex congenital heart defects, which can also be part of numerous syndromic entities. Targeted panels for non-syndromic familial M3Cs have a quite low yield. Very high-throughput sequencing (VHT) will increase diagnostic yield (15%-40%) for pre-indication, for which there is growing demand for genetic counselling.
Criteria before considering a discussion in MDM-FMG
Syndromic CCHD: presence of a complex cardiac malformation (listed below) associated with at least one other organ malformation, or notable facial dysmorphia, or intellectual disability, clinically not suggestive of a known genetic syndrome, with a request for genetic counselling. A CMA (chromosomal microarray analysis) will be requested beforehand.
Familial CCHD: Presence of congenital heart disease in at least two related individuals in a family. DNA from both affected individuals and one healthy individual (trio) must be available.
LIST of COMPLEX CCHD
- Heterotaxia, isomerism and situs inversus
- Left and right isomerism
- Polysplenia/Asplenia
- Abnormal connections of the pulmonary veins
- Total right-to-left shunt
- Partial PAOP of the entire right lung
- Cimeterre syndrome
- Pulmonary vein stenosis
- Congenital pulmonary vein atresia
- AV junction and AV valve abnormalities
- Congenital tricuspid valve abnormalities:
- Ebstein’s anomaly/VT agenesis
- Atrioventricular canal defect (AVCD)
- AV connection abnormalities
- Double discordance
- Superimposed ventricles/Criss Cross
- Univentricular hearts (UV)
- Ejection pathway heart defects
- Transposition of the great vessels (TGV)
- Double outlet right ventricle (DORV)
- Double outlet left ventricle (DOLV)
- Anatomically corrected malposition of the great vessels
- Tetralogy of Fallot and variants
- Truncus arteriosus (TA)
- Staged left heart obstructions (Shone syndrome)
- Extracardiac trunk anomalies
- Coarctation syndrome: CoA + VSD
- Interruption of the aortic arch
- Congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries
- ALCAPA
- ARCAPA
- Pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease
Genome Sequencing in diagnostic strategy

MDM Complex congenital heart defects
Caroline ROORYCK-THAMBO
caroline.rooryck-thambo@chu-bordeaux.fr
Jean-Benoit THAMBO
Jean-benoit.thambo@chu-bordeaux.fr
Julie THOMAS
