A septal defect is a hole in the septum, which is the muscle wall that separates the heart's left and right chambers. A septal defect is sometimes called "a hole in the heart." Common defects include:
Atrial septal defect: a hole in the part of the septum that separates the upper chambers of the heart (atria)
Ventricular septal defect: a hole in the part of the septum that separates the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles)
Atrioventricular canal defect: a hole in the center of the heart where the wall between the upper and lower chambers meet
The Department of Cardiology at the Benderson Family Heart Center is the largest pediatric cardiology center in the United States and one of the most specialized in the world.
