Fo4 Flashcards
(101 cards)
What is Fallot Tetralogy?
A congenital heart defect with four components: pulmonary stenosis, overriding aorta, ventricular septal defect (VSD), and right ventricular hypertrophy.
What are the four components of Fallot Tetralogy?
Pulmonary stenosis, overriding aorta, ventricular septal defect (VSD), and right ventricular hypertrophy.
What is pulmonary stenosis?
Narrowing of the pulmonary valve or artery, restricting blood flow to the lungs.
What is an overriding aorta?
The aorta is positioned over both ventricles, receiving blood from both.
What is a ventricular septal defect (VSD)?
A hole in the wall separating the two ventricles.
What is right ventricular hypertrophy?
Thickening of the right ventricular wall due to increased workload.
What causes cyanosis in Fallot Tetralogy?
Mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood due to the VSD and overriding aorta.
What is clubbing in Fallot Tetralogy?
Enlargement of the fingertips due to chronic low oxygen levels.
When does cyanosis typically appear in Fallot Tetralogy?
Around 4 months of age, as pulmonary stenosis worsens.
What is ‘Pink Fallot’?
A mild form of Fallot Tetralogy where cyanosis appears only during exercise.
Why is cyanosis delayed in Fallot Tetralogy?
Because pulmonary stenosis progresses gradually after birth.
What is the hemodynamic effect of pulmonary stenosis in Fallot Tetralogy?
It restricts blood flow to the lungs, causing more blood to shunt through the VSD.
What is the role of the VSD in Fallot Tetralogy?
It allows blood to shunt from the right ventricle to the left, leading to mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
What is the significance of an overriding aorta?
It receives blood from both ventricles, leading to systemic desaturation.
What is ‘Extreme Fallot’?
Severe pulmonary stenosis causing cyanosis at birth.
What is the effect of right ventricular hypertrophy in Fallot Tetralogy?
It compensates for the increased pressure but can lead to heart failure.
What is the role of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in Fallot Tetralogy?
It can increase pulmonary blood flow, temporarily improving oxygenation.
What are the symptoms of Fallot Tetralogy?
Cyanosis, clubbing, and episodes of ‘tet spells’ (sudden cyanosis and breathlessness).
What are ‘tet spells’?
Sudden episodes of cyanosis and breathlessness due to increased right-to-left shunting.
How is Fallot Tetralogy diagnosed?
Through echocardiography, chest X-ray, and clinical examination.
What is the pathophysiology of cyanosis in Fallot Tetralogy?
Due to right-to-left shunting through the VSD and desaturated blood entering the systemic circulation.
What is the significance of infundibular pulmonary stenosis?
It worsens over time, increasing right ventricular pressure and shunting.
What is the role of the right ventricle in Fallot Tetralogy?
It hypertrophies to overcome pulmonary stenosis but can fail under increased pressure.
What is the effect of chronic hypoxia in Fallot Tetralogy?
It leads to polycythemia, clubbing, and developmental delays.