Tricuspid Atresia Flashcards
What is Tricuspid Atresia?
Tricuspid Atresia is a CHD in which the tricuspid valve doesn’t form, but instead a wall forms between the RA and RV.
What are the consequences of Tricuspid Atresia? (3)
-Blood can’t flow correctly through the heart and to the rest of the body
-RV is underdeveloped because blood is unable to get from the RA to the RV
-MPA may be small and underdeveloped with very little blood flowing through it to the lungs
What else may come with Tricuspid Atresia? (2)
ASD and/or VSD
What may infants with Tricuspid Atresia need soon after birth?
Infants with Tricuspid Atresia may need surgery or other procedures soon after birth
Is Tricuspid Atresia a critical CHD?
Yes
When will infants with Tricuspid Atresia show symptoms?
Infants with Tricuspid Atresia will show symptoms at birth or very soon afterwards
What are some signs and symptoms of Tricuspid Atresia? (3)
-Cyanosis
-Problems breathing
-Extreme sleepiness
What is cyanosis?
Cyanosis is the condition of having bluish lips, skin, and nails because of low blood oxygen levels.
What may Tricuspid Atresia also come with? (4) Why is this?
Tricuspid Atresia may also come with an ASD, VSD, PDA, and/or a d-TGA. These additional abnormalities form because blood needs to use other routes to bypass the unformed tricuspid valve.
What is a PDA?
What do the ASD, VSD, and PDA help with? What does this result in?
The ASD and VSD help with getting some of the deoxygenated blood to the left side (the LV needs deoxygenated blood to pump to the lungs. The PDA helps with getting (some) deoxygenated blood tot he lungs. This results in a partially normal circulation
What does d-TGA help with? What is its disadvantage?
d-TGA helps getting blood to the lungs (PA is connected to the LV), but blood cannot be transported to the body properly (Ao is connected to the RV, which is underdeveloped and disconnected from the RA)
What are the exact causes of Tricuspid Atresia?
The exact causes of Tricuspid Atresia among most babies are unknown
Why do some infants have CHDs? (1) What are some other risk factors/possible causes of Tricuspid Atresia? (3) What is the conclusion? (2)
-Some infants have CHDs because of changes in their chromosomes and genomes
-What the mother eats or drinks
-What medicines the mother takes
-The mother’s environment and health conditions
Conclusion: A combination of changes in the infant’s genome and other risk factors (above) may increase the risk of the infant getting Tricuspid Atresia
What are some treatment options for Tricuspid Atresia? (3)
-Medicines
-Nutrition
-Surgery
What are the goals of medicines used to treat tricuspid atresia?
Strengthen the heart muscles. Lower the infant’s blood pressure. Help the body get rid of extra fluid.
Why might infants with tricuspid atresia struggle with nutrition?
Infants with tricuspid atresia get tired while eating and may not consume enough nutrition, food, or fat.
What is a possible treatment to ensure infants with tricuspid atresia get enough nutrition?
A special high-calorie formula might be prescribed to ensure adequate nutrition and fat intake.
What additional assistance might infants with tricuspid atresia require to feed properly?
Infants may need feeding tubes to get enough nutrition.
How does the need for surgery depend on tricuspid atresia?
Surgery depends on the severity of tricuspid atresia and the presence of other congenital heart defects (CHDs).
What is the purpose of surgery for tricuspid atresia?
Surgeries help increase blood flow to the lungs and bypass the unformed tricuspid valve.
Do surgeries for tricuspid atresia cure the condition?
No. These surgeries do not cure tricuspid atresia but they help restore heart function.
What is a septostomy, and when is it performed?
A septostomy is a procedure done within the first few days or weeks of an infant’s life to enlarge the atrial septal defect (ASD).
What is the purpose of banding in tricuspid atresia surgery?
Banding is used to control blood flow to the lungs if there is another CHD and too much blood is going to the lungs. It is a temporary procedure likely to be removed later.
What does a shunt procedure do, and when is it performed?
A shunt procedure is done within the first 2 weeks of life and creates a bypass from the aorta (Ao) to the main pulmonary artery (MPA). It may enlarge the aorta and can still leave the infant with cyanosis due to mixed oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
What is the purpose of the bi-directional Glenn procedure?
The bi-directional Glenn procedure, usually done at 4 to 6 months of age, creates a direct connection between the main pulmonary artery (MPA) and the superior vena cava (SVC).
What is the Fontan procedure, and when is it typically performed?
The Fontan procedure is usually performed around 2 years of age and connects the inferior vena cava (IVC) to the pulmonary artery (PA). If done correctly, it eliminates cyanosis.
What is the long-term outcome for infants who undergo surgeries for tricuspid atresia?
Surgeries are not a cure. Infants may have lifelong complications.
What may be needed if the tricuspid atresia is very complex or the heart becomes weak after the surgeries?
If the tricuspid atresia is very complex or the heart becomes weak after the surgeries, a heart transplant may be needed.
What do victims (of tricuspid atresia) who has received a heart transplant need to do?
Victims (of tricuspid atresia) who has received a heart transplant will need medicines for the rest of their lives.
What is the purpose of the medicines given to heart transplant recipients?
These medicines help prevent the rejection of the new heart.
What kind of follow-up is needed after a heart transplant?
Victims will need regular follow-up visits with a cardiologist.
What is the purpose of regular follow-up visits with a cardiologist?
These visits monitor their progress and check for other health conditions that may develop over time.
What may adult victims of tricuspid atresia need?
For adult victims (of tricuspid atresia), they may need more surgeries or medical care to address for other possible problems.
