TETRALOGY OF FALLOT

Pathophysiology of Tetralogy of Fallot



Table of Contents

Introduction1

Epidemiology2

Ventricular Septal Defect2

Pulmonary Stenosis2

Right Ventricular Hypertrophy3

Overriding Aorta3

Difference between Normal Heart and the Heart with Tetralogy Of Fallot3

Etiology5

Viral Diseases5

Poor Nutrition5

Premature Birth5

Use of alcohol6

Age6

Diabetes6

Heredity6

Pathophysiology7

Diagnosis8

Physical Exam8

Echocardiography9

Electrocardiogram9

Chest X-Ray9

Pulse Oximetry10

Cardiac Catheterization10

Treatment10

Complete Intra-cardiac Repair11

Temporary Surgery (Palliative Surgery)12

Conclusion13

References14

Abstract

This assignment explains Treaty of Fallot (TOF) in context of Epidemiology, Etiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and treatment. A person who is suffering from TOF may have four major defects such as; Ventricular Septal Defect, Pulmonary Stenosis, Right Ventricular Hypertrophy and overriding Aorta. Factors such; viral diseases, poor nutrition, premature birth, use of alcohol, age, diabetes and heredity, are the cause of TOF. The main symptoms of TOF are tet spells, bluish tint and Clubbing. The diagnosis of the disease is done with the help of physical exam, echocardiography, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, pulse oximetry and cardiac catheterization. Cardiac surgeons treat this disease by doing complete intra-cardiac repair and temporary surgery.

Pathophysiology of Tetralogy of Fallot

Introduction

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is known as congenital heart defect. This disease is caused when there is a problem with the heart structure of a person since his or her birth. As a result, of this disease, the normal blood flow from the heart changes and there is an inadequate blood flow from heart to lungs.

According to Congenital Heart Defects (CHD-UK), Tetralogy of Fallot is a rare heart disease which is found in 3 to 6 children per ten thousand births, due to environmental or genetic factors (p.1). The following graph shows that the reported patients of Tetralogy of Fallot, increased by more than sixty percent since 1983.

Figure 1: Percentage of Patients (Need, Powell, Nido & Geva, 2000, p. 1)

Epidemiology

According to the study of heart characteristics, the following defects are present in the human heart, when a person suffers from Tetralogy of Fallot:

Ventricular Septal Defect

Human heart has a wall called septum due to which the chambers from the left side separate from the chambers from the right side. This wall serves an important function by separating the blood from the left and the right chambers (Corno, 2003, p. 33).

Ventricular Septal Defect means that the person has a hole in the septum wall, near the ventricles, which are present in the lower chambers of the heart. As a result, of this disease, the oxygenated blood from the left chamber mixes with deoxygenated blood, which comes from the right ventricle.

Pulmonary Stenosis

When a person has pulmonary stenosis, the pulmonary valve of a person, narrows down. Therefore, the passage from the right ventricles to the pulmonary artery gets congested.

Under normal circumstances, the blood travels from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery through the pulmonary valve. After reaching the pulmonary artery, the blood moves to the lungs, to collect some oxygen (Gatzoulis, 2001, p. 47).

However, when a person has pulmonary stenosis, the heart has to push the blood to the pulmonary valve which does not open completely. Therefore, the blood which finally reaches the lungs is not sufficient to provide oxygenated blood to the whole body (Corno, 2003, ...