Key result
Congenital heart block is rare, with 55 reported cases to date, and appears to be invariably associated with anatomical heart defects such as septal defects.
Case Report (n=1)
Congenital heart block is a rare condition that is almost invariably associated with structural anatomical defects of the heart.
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Supports screening for septal defects whenever congenital heart block is diagnosed; leaves open whether truly isolated cases exist.
Stein and Uhr (1941), describing congenital heart block in a girl of 3, bring the total of reported cases to 55.Apparently the number that are recognized and reported is still not great, since Campbell and Suzman (1934) analysed 53 which they accepted as fulfilling the criteria of diagnosis.Associated anatomical defects of the heart always seem to be present, and, as might be expected, septal defects are common, if not invariable.It has not been suggested that any case of incomplete heart block is congenital: partial and transient heart block is, of course, common enough in the acute infections, but if it should become complete, the patient usually dies.Fishberg (1940) saw one patient who survived with complete block that was apparently due to diphtheria, and quotes Stechner's study of 19 others, all of whom died.White (1937) thinks acquired cases apart from coronary disease are rare.The age of the patient is therefore a fair indication of the etiology of complete heart block
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Didier Leys (1943) conducted a case report in Congenital heart block (n=1). Congenital heart block was evaluated. Congenital heart block is rare, with 55 reported cases to date, and appears to be invariably associated with anatomical heart defects such as septal defects.
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