ABOUT THE DISEASE

Tetralogy of Fallot is a serious congenital heart defect. This develops during the first two months of pregnancy by which time the baby`s heart has fully developed.

It involves four specific defects in the development of different parts of the heart -

• • Pulmonary stenosis or a narrowing of the pulmonary valve and/or the area just below the pulmonary valve leading to decrease in the amount of pulmonary blood flow to the lungs.
• • Ventricular septal defect (VSD), which is a hole in the wall that separates the lower chambers of the heart.
• • Overriding aorta – A defect in which the aortic valve positions over both the right and left ventricles instead of coming out only from the left ventricle.
• • Right ventricular hypertrophy. The right lower chamber of the heart harder is under high pressure causing thickened wall of the right ventricle

SYMPTOMS

• • Blue color to the skin (cyanosis), due to low level of oxygen in the blood.
• • Less blood flow to the lungs caused due to pulmonary stenosis.
• • Poor feeding habits & failure to gain weight.
• • Clubbing of fingers.

DIAGNOSIS

- Physical examination
- Chest X-ray
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram
- MRI of Heart

CAUSES

It is a congenital disease which is generally accompanied with various other disorders as well. Although no specific confirmed reason has been identified, it is more prevalent in kids with choromosomal disorders such as downs syndrome and thus show a similar higher tendencies in cases where the mother`s age is above 40, alcoholism or diabetes in the case of the mother.

TREATMENT METHODS

Every infant or child needs Surgery for TOF, usually within the first year of life.

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