Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Research Paper

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Introduction
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a heart defect that some babies are born with (congenital heart defect). If your child has this defect, it means that one side of your child’s heart is not completely developed.
The heart is divided into a left side and a right side. The right side receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood then goes to the left side of the heart to be pumped back out to the body. In hypoplastic left heart syndrome, several important structures on the left side of the heart are small or missing. This makes it hard for your child’s heart to pump enough oxygen-rich blood out to his or her body.
Babies are normally born with openings between the left and right …show more content…
Abnormal valves between the heart and major blood vessels (mitral valve and aortic valve).
A hole between the right and left sides of the heart (atrial septal defect).
A small aorta.
What are the causes?
The cause of this condition is not known. It may be due to changes in genes or chromosomes.
What increases the risk?
This condition is more likely to develop in:
Boys.
Children whose mothers had a low level of vitamin B (folic acid) when pregnant.
Children whose mothers smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol when …show more content…
This condition may be treated with a series of three surgeries designed to improve blood flow from the right side of the heart to the body. These surgeries can begin 2 weeks after birth and continue until the child is 3 years old. Most children improve after these surgeries but require lifelong care from a heart specialist (cardiologist). Some children may eventually benefit from a heart transplant.
The three surgeries that may be done are:
A Norwood procedure. This procedure is done within 2 weeks after birth. The procedure makes it easier for the right side of the heart to pump blood to both the lungs and the body.
A bidirectional shunt procedure. This procedure is done when the child is 4–6 months old. After this procedure, blood returning from the upper body will be able to go straight to the lungs. This reduces the work of the right side of the heart.
A Fontan procedure. This procedure is done before age 3 years. After this procedure, blood returning from the lower body will be able to go directly to the lungs. Oxygen-rich blood from the lungs will no longer mix with blood returning from the body. The right side of the heart will pump only the oxygen-rich
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