Congenital Heart Defects

Question 1

What medication is used to close a patent ductus arteriosus?

Answer 1

NSAIDS (Ibuprofen and indomethacin)

Question 2

What maintains the patency of the ductas arteriosus?

Answer 2

Endogenonous prostoglandins (secreted by the placenta and the ductus arteriosus). Prostoglandins are also given if the PDA needs to stay open for example in a coexisting right to left shunt.

Question 3

What does the ductus arteriosus connect?

Answer 3

Pulmonary trunk and the descending aorta

Question 4

What is ebsteins anomaly?

Answer 4

Congenital heart defects in which the septal and posterior leafelets of the tricuspid valve are displaced towards the apex of the right ventricle of the heart. This causes the right atrium to become larger and the right ventricle to be small. There is an increased risk in babies where the mother is taking lithium in pregnancy

Question 5

What is eisenmengers syndrome?

Answer 5

A process in which a longstanding left to right shunt (eg caused by a VSD) reverses to become biderectional and resukt in cyanosis.

Question 6

What other heart conditions are associated with ebsteins anomaly?

Answer 6

Patent foramen ovale
Atrial septal defect
Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome

Question 7

What is transpositions of the great arteries?

Answer 7

The pulmonary artery and the aorta switch positions so the aorta is coming out the right ventricle and the pulmonary trunk leaves the left vetricle

Question 8

How does TGA happen?

Answer 8

Failure of the aorticopulmonary septum to spiral during septation.

Question 9

How is TGA managed?

Answer 9

Maintaenance of the ductua arteriosus with prostoglandins

Surgical correction