Double Outlet Right Ventricle Research Paper
Symptoms and Causes of Double Outlet Right Ventricle
By Jonas Wilson, Ing. Med.
Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) is a rare congenital disorder where both of the great arteries, namely the aorta and the pulmonary artery, arise from the right ventricle. Normally, the aorta arises from the left ventricle where it receives oxygen-rich blood that is sent to the rest of the body. In contrast, the pulmonary artery normally exits from the right ventricle and carries oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation.
In addition to DORV, affected infants usually tend to have a hole in the muscular wall that separates the left ventricle from the right. This condition is referred to as a ventricular septal defect (VSD). The location of the VSD in relation to the aorta and/ or pulmonary artery is used to classify the four different types of DORV. Other defects that may also be seen in these infants are pulmonary artery stenosis and transposition of the great vessels.
Clinical presentation …show more content…
The clinical picture is similar to what is observed with other types of congenital heart diseases and defects. Parents may note infants having problems with breathing, such as shortness of breath of rapid breathing. Moreover, infants tend to have poor feeding and a general failure with regards to their ability to thrive. The infant may present with cyanosis, which is a bluish discoloration of the skin that arises due to low oxygen saturation in the blood. Infants may also have other signs and symptoms, such as heart murmurs (i.e. unusual heart sounds), sweating and
By Jonas Wilson, Ing. Med.
Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) is a rare congenital disorder where both of the great arteries, namely the aorta and the pulmonary artery, arise from the right ventricle. Normally, the aorta arises from the left ventricle where it receives oxygen-rich blood that is sent to the rest of the body. In contrast, the pulmonary artery normally exits from the right ventricle and carries oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation.
In addition to DORV, affected infants usually tend to have a hole in the muscular wall that separates the left ventricle from the right. This condition is referred to as a ventricular septal defect (VSD). The location of the VSD in relation to the aorta and/ or pulmonary artery is used to classify the four different types of DORV. Other defects that may also be seen in these infants are pulmonary artery stenosis and transposition of the great vessels.
Clinical presentation …show more content…
The clinical picture is similar to what is observed with other types of congenital heart diseases and defects. Parents may note infants having problems with breathing, such as shortness of breath of rapid breathing. Moreover, infants tend to have poor feeding and a general failure with regards to their ability to thrive. The infant may present with cyanosis, which is a bluish discoloration of the skin that arises due to low oxygen saturation in the blood. Infants may also have other signs and symptoms, such as heart murmurs (i.e. unusual heart sounds), sweating and