Hypoxic spells in the infant with a congenital heart defect (chd) can cause which of the following?
Tetralogy of Fallot (fah-LO) is a congenital (present at birth) heart defect. In tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), four related heart defects change the way blood flows to the lungs and through the heart. Show
TOF is repaired through open-heart surgery soon after birth or later in infancy. Some infants need more than one heart surgery. Most babies who are treated do very well, but will need regular follow-up visits with a heart specialist. What Happens in Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)?In most cases of tetralogy of Fallot, too little blood goes to the lungs. This low-oxygen (blue) blood then circulates to the rest of the body, and too little oxygen reaches the body tissues. Babies with TOF often have cyanosis — a blue or purple tint to the baby's skin, lips, and fingernails. If tetralogy of Fallot isn't treated, a child may have:
Children whose TOF isn't fixed usually become increasingly blue over time and have difficulty participating in physical activities (like playing sports). Most babies who have surgery to correct the defect do very well and can participate in normal kid activities. How Does Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) Affect the Heart?"Tetralogy" means a combination of four related symptoms or problems. The four problems of tetralogy of Fallot are:
What Are the Signs of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)?Cyanosis is a very common sign. Healthy babies can sometimes also have bluish skin around the mouth or eyes from prominent veins under the skin, but their lips and tongue look pink. Babies who have low oxygen levels in the blood usually have blue lips and tongues in addition to bluish skin. A child with TOF might have sudden episodes of deep cyanosis, called "hypercyanotic spells" or "Tet spells," during crying or feeding. Older children who have Tet spells will often instinctively squat down, which helps to stop the spell. Other signs include:
What Causes Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)?The specific cause of tetralogy of Fallot isn't always known. The TOF changes in a baby's heart develop in the early weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, there are genetic causes of TOF — for example, children with Down syndrome or DiGeorge syndrome are more likely to have TOF. Someone born with TOF is more likely to have a child or sibling with it. Each year, roughly 1 out of every 2,500 babies born in the United States have the condition. Babies of mothers who get rubella (German measles) or other viral illnesses during their pregnancies are at a higher risk for TOF. Other pregnancy-related risks include poor nutrition, alcohol abuse, poorly controlled diabetes, and the mother's age (over 40). Certain environmental factors, such as air pollution, also may increase a mother's chances of having a baby with TOF. Most of the time, a child with TOF doesn't have any other birth defects. How Is Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) Diagnosed?Doctors might do several tests to find out if a baby has tetralogy of Fallot and to get more details about the baby's heart and blood vessels, including:
How Is Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) Treated?Doctors repair tetralogy of Fallot through open-heart surgery soon after birth or later in infancy, depending on the baby's health and weight and severity of defects and symptoms. The two surgical options are:
Most babies whose tetralogy of Fallot is repaired do very well, but will need regular follow-up visits with a heart specialist. How does congenital heart disease affect babies?CHDs are present at birth and can affect the structure of a baby's heart and the way it works. They can affect how blood flows through the heart and out to the rest of the body. CHDs can vary from mild (such as a small hole in the heart) to severe (such as missing or poorly formed parts of the heart).
What is a frequent complication for a child with congenital heart disease?Blood clots
Having a history of congenital heart disease can also increase the risk of a blood clot forming inside the heart and travelling up to the lungs or brain. This can lead to a pulmonary embolism (where the blood supply to the lungs is blocked) or a stroke (where the blood supply to the brain is blocked).
What is the most common congenital heart problem affecting newborns?The most common type of heart defect is a ventricular septal defect (VSD).
How does congenital heart disease affect the respiratory system?In summary, CHD can cause several abnormalities of the lungs. Many children with CHD will be born with simplified respiratory systems, which can impact gas exchange. Certain kinds of CHD can cause postnatal lung complications, including airway compression, pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary edema.
|