Congenital heart defect corrective surgery

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Cardiac catheterization	Heart, front view	Heart, section through the middle	Patent ductus arteriosis (PDA) - series
Ultrasound, normal fetus - heartbeat	Ultrasound, normal fetus - heartbeat

Hypoplastic left heart repair

• This is a very severe heart defect that results from a severely underdeveloped heart, and causes death in most affected babies. Only a few cardiac centers have reported any success in treating this defect, but results are slowly getting better with surgical advances. Therefore, parents must decide how aggressively they want the medical team to treat their child, knowing the chances of a good outcome are low.
• The best reported results are with a series of 3 heart operations. The first operation is done in the first week of life: a complicated surgery in which a single vessel is formed from the pulmonary artery and aorta to create a blood supply to the lungs and the body.
• At about 4-6 months of age, the second operation is performed. A third operation is required a year later.
• A heart transplant may be performed to treat this condition, but donor hearts for infants are rare and the procedure can only be performed at a small number of centers.

The type and timing of surgical repair depends on the child's condition and the type and severity of heart defects.

In general, symptoms that indicate that surgery is needed include the following:

• Blue or gray skin, lips, and nail beds (cyanosis), meaning there is not enough oxygen in the blood (hypoxia)
• Difficulty breathing because the lungs are "wet," congested, or fluid-filled ( congestive heart failure )
• Problems with heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmias)
• Excessive workload on heart that interferes with breathing, feeding, or sleeping

Review Date: 05/30/2006
Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.