Common arterial trunk (CAT) is a relatively rare congenital heart malformation with an incidence of approximately 0.07 per 1000 live births (approximately 0.7% of congenital heart diseases). This low incidence as compared to other congenital malformations may underlie the fact that only few courses have been attributed specifically to CAT. Nevertheless, in dealing with patients with CAT a myriad of anatomical considerations are involved, including variations in truncal valve anatomy, coronary arteries, pulmonary arteries, and associated anomalies, that all have their impact on surgical interventions and (late) clinical outcome. This dedicated course aims to provide insight in the three dimensional morphology of CAT in the full spectrum from prenatal development to long term follow up. The extensive Leiden Collection of post-mortem specimens with congenital heart disease provides the possibility to study this cardiac malformation in  hands-on sessions.

A panel of cardiac surgeons, paediatric cardiologists, GUCH cardiologists, morphologists, embryologists and a geneticist will introduce the different aspects of CAT in multiple sessions (slide presentations as well as live-video presentations), after which participants will have the opportunity to study the malformation in post-mortem heart-lung-specimen (hands-on).

The following aspects will be covered in the course: embryology, morphology, pre-and postnatal diagnosis, genetics, surgical treatment as well as late follow up of truncus arteriosus communis in multiple variations (valve morphology, coronary variations, associated anomalies).