Congenital heart defects

Question 1

What type of shunt is usually typical in congenital heart defects?

Answer 1

Left (systemic) to right (pulmonary)

Question 2

What happens in uncorrected left to right shunt? (Eisenmenger syndrome)

Answer 2

The shunt from systemic to pulmonary circulation (L to R), causes pulmonary arterial hypertension, which causes the right ventricular to undergo hypertrophy, and the shunt can reverse. This causes clubbing (of the hands, late cyanosis and polycythemia.

Question 3

What is the most common congenital defect? What type of shunt does it have?

Answer 3

Ventricular septal defect (VSD)

–> LEFT to RIGHT

Question 4

What is the most common cause of early childhood cyanosis?

Answer 4

Tetralogy of fallot

Question 5

Explain defects of tetralogy of fallot

Answer 5

"PROVe"
P-ulmonary infudibular stenosis
R-VH - boot shaped heart on chest Xray 
O-verriding aorta
V-entricular septal defect 

(Overriding aorta –> placed over the ventricular septal defect instead of over left ventricle)

Question 6

Which defects are left to right shunts?

Answer 6

• VSD
• ASD
• Patent ductus arteriosus