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The tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect, belonging to the group of cyanobacteria. We talk about it when a child develops four characteristic lesions that disrupt the heart and cause hypoxia of the blood. The severity of the symptoms of the tetralogy of Fallot depends on the extent of the individual factors of the disease.
Tetralogy of Fallot – causes
The tetralogy of Fallot consists of four heart defects:
- pathological opening in the interventricular septum – abnormal connection between the right and left ventricles;
- narrowing of the mouth of the pulmonary artery that carries blood from the heart to the lungs; the heart must work with doubled force so that the blood from the heart flows into the pulmonary vessels;
- myocardial hypertrophy – because the heart works with increased force;
- displacement of the aorta (i.e. the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the whole body) – in the tetralogy of Fallot it is said that the aorta “sits astride” over both chambers and the opening between them.
Tetralogy of Fallot – symptoms
The set of factors that make up the tetralogy of Fallot leads to hypoxia of the whole organism and cyanosis – that is why the children affected by it are said to be “blue” – incl. their lips, tongue and fingers are blue. Fallot’s tetralogy allows the free flow of hypoxic blood from the right to the left ventricle, the aorta and the systemic circulation. As a result, oxygen-deficient blood flows in the body, which becomes hypoxic (hemoglobin accumulates in the peripheral blood with low oxygen levels). Other symptoms of the tetralogy of Fallot are:
- cyanosis can occur during feeding, passing stools and crying as they are all related to exercise;
- shortness of breath and easy fatigue;
- unforced taking of a squat position by the child;
- stick fingers (the fingertips are rounded) and convex nails,
- anoxic seizures;
- disturbances of consciousness;
- seizures.
Tetralogy of Fallot – home proceedings
In the event of an anoxemic attack, the child should crouch. Bring his legs to your chest and hug your baby in this position. Try to calm the baby down. Be sure to contact a doctor immediately!
Treatment of the tetralogy of Fallot
Since the tetralogy of Fallot belongs to the group of serious heart defects, if left untreated it leads to a delay in the child’s physical development. Therefore, it is important to get the right treatment. In the case of the tetralogy of Fallot, it is operational. The complete correction of the defect is carried out in the so-called extracorporeal circulation, usually in the first year of life.