Abstract
BACKGROUND: Inferior sinus venosus defects (SVD) are very rare and difficult to image from transthoracic echocardiography. Surgical errors were occasionally reported in the repair of inferior SVDs. RESULTS: The authors have operated on 12 inferior SVD patients using bicaval cannulation with unsnared inferior vena cava (IVC) and proved successful. CONCLUSION: This technique guaranteed a better exposure of surgical field and facilitate identifying the anatomical relationship between lower part of the SVD and IVC orifice, thus avoiding postoperative IVC - left atrial shunt and other surgical mistakes.