Truncus arteriosus

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Heart, section through the middle

Truncus

• Lethargy
• Poor feeding
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
• Fatigue
• Cyanosis (blue discoloration of skin)
• Delayed growth or growth failure
• Broadening of the finger tips (clubbing)

The cardiologist or pediatrician usually hears a murmur when listening to the heart with a stethoscope.

• ECG shows signs of enlargement of the heart (ventricular hypertrophy).
• X-ray of the chest shows heart enlargement and fluid-filled lungs.
• Echocardiogram shows a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and a single truncal artery -- definitive diagnosis.
• Rarely, a heart catheterization is necessary to help with the diagnosis or planning of a treatment strategy.

Review Date: 06/27/2006
Reviewed By: Anne J. L. Chun, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY.Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.