Cardiovascular

Question 1

describe dextrocardia

Answer 1

• if the heart tube bends to the left instead of the right, the heart is displaced to the right and there is transposition whereby the heart and its vessels are reversed

Question 2

describe ventricular septal defects

Answer 2

• most VSDs involve the membranous part of the IV septum

Question 3

describe a persistent truncus arteriosus

Answer 3

• persistent truncus arteriosus results from failure of the truncal ridges and the aorticopulmonary septum to develop normally and to divide the truncus arteriosus into the aorta and the pulmonary trunk

Question 4

describe transposition of the great arteries

Answer 4

• the most common cause of cyanotic heart disease in newborn infants
• in typical cases, the aorta lies anterior and to the right of the pulmonary trunk and arises anteriorly from the morphologic right ventricle, whereas the pulmonary trunk arises from the morphologic left ventricle
• this defect results from failure of the conus arteriosus to develop normally during incorporation of the bulbus cordis into the ventricles

Question 5

describe Tetralogy of Fallot

Answer 5

• caused by anterior and superior displacement of the infundibular septum during heart development
• 4 associated features:
  
  • Pulmonary stenosis
  • Right ventricular hypertrophy
  • Overriding aorta
  • VSD

Question 6

describe coarctation of the aorta

Answer 6

• coarctation is characterized by a constriction of the aorta, most commonly distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery at the entrance of the ductus arteriosus
• characterized by rib notching as seen in x-rays