Tetralogy of Fallot repair

• Tetralogy of Fallot is a heart defect that exists from birth (congenital). It usually includes four defects in the heart and causes the baby to turn a bluish color (cyanosis).
• Open-heart surgery is needed, and it is often done when the child is between 6 months and 2 years old.
• Different types of repairs are done, depending on the defects.
  • The ventricular septal defect is one repair, and it is described above.
  • The pulmonary valve is opened and the thickened muscle (stenosis) is removed.
  • A patch may be placed on the right ventricle and main pulmonary artery to improve blood flow to the lungs.
• The child may have a shunt procedure done first. A shunt moves blood from one area to another. This is done if the open-heart surgery needs to be delayed because the child is too sick to go through surgery.
  • A shunt procedure requires making a cut between two of the ribs.
  • Once the child is older, the shunt is closed and the main repair in the heart is performed.

Transposition of the great vessels repair

• In a normal heart, the aorta comes from the left side of the heart, and the pulmonary artery comes from the right side. In transposition of the great vessels, these arteries come from the opposite sides of the heart.
• Correcting transposition of the great vessels requires open-heart surgery. If possible, this surgery is done shortly after birth.
• The most common repair is called an arterial switch. The aorta and pulmonary artery are divided. The pulmonary artery is connected to the right ventricle, where it belongs. Then, the aorta and coronary arteries are connected to the left ventricle, where they belong.

Truncus arteriosus repair

• Truncus arteriosus is a rare condition that occurs when the aorta, coronary arteries, and pulmonary artery all come out of one common trunk. This is a very complex defect, and it requires complex open-heart surgery to repair it.
• Repair is usually done in the first few days or weeks of the infant's life. The pulmonary arteries are separated from the aortic trunk, and any defects are patched. Usually, there is also a ventricular septal defect, and that is also closed. A connection is then placed between the right ventricle and the pulmonary arteries.
• Most children need one or two more surgeries as they grow.

Tricuspid atresia repair

Images

Ultrasound, normal fetus - heartbeat

Heart, front view

Ultrasound, normal fetus - heartbeat

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Congenital heart defect corrective surgeries Risks

Review Date: 11/01/2010
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)