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LIFE-CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES

WHEN TINY HEARTS NEED HELP

Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are problems within the heart that are present at birth. These defects are sadly not rare and occur in nearly 1 out of 100 newborn infants1. Depending on the specific type of disease, blood flow through the heart can be slower than usual, flow in the wrong direction or to the wrong place or be blocked completely. The major types of congenital heart diseases are associated with heart valves or small holes that allow blood to flow improperly from one heart chamber to another. 

For most infants, the cause of the heart disease is unknown. However, in some cases the defect could be caused by problems with the genes or chromosomes. Less commonly, the defect could be linked to the mother’s overall health, activities, or illnesses during pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of a CHD?

The symptoms of a congenital heart disease vary depending on the type of disease and at what age the patient, family member, or doctor notices symptoms. When the defects are minor, there may not be any symptoms.

How can a CHD be treated?

Some types of congenital heart diseases, such as the small holes may close on their own in the first few days after birth. If not, treatment could be necessary. There are several treatment options, but there is no single option that is right for every patient. If the defect is small, and there are few symptoms, waiting and giving the heart the time to resolve this problem on its own, could be preferred. Otherwise, starting medication to relieve symptoms or solve the defect would be necessary. In other cases, treatment options include open-heart surgery and novel catheter-based procedures to repair the valves or close the opening.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOST COMMON HEART DEFECTS AND ABBOTT LIFE-CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES:

PATENT DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS (PDA)

A patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a blood vessel connecting the aorta with the pulmonary artery. This channel is important prior to birth to allow oxygen-rich blood from the mother to circulate throughout the fetus’s body. Normally, the vessel closes shortly after birth. If it does not close, oxygen-rich blood can mix with oxygen-poor blood. This causes the heart to overwork.

PDA has a high occurrence in premature infants and neonates with persistent respiratory problems such as hypoxia. PDA occurs in approximately 1 in 2.000 births and accounts for approximately 5 - 10 % of all congenital heart disease.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A PDA?

Severity of symptoms often depends on the size of the PDA. Small PDAs may cause no symptoms and are sometimes only detected by the doctor hearing a heart murmur through a stethoscope. Medium to large PDAs may cause fatigue, poor growth and eventually lead to heart failure. All sizes of PDAs may increase a patient’s risk for a bacterial infection.

HOW IS A PDA TREATED?

There are several treatment options for a PDA, and there is no single option that is right for every patient. The first option is medication, which may be appropriate to help close the PDA or in treating symptoms associated with the PDA. Another treatment option is an open-heart surgery. The third option is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure where a small occluder is inserted through a small incision in the groin and guided through vessels to the heart, where it is placed to seal the duct.

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Heart with patent ductus arteriosus
This device is able to occlude a variety of duct sizes, or elongated ducts.
ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT (ASD)

An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the wall between the two atria. This opening causes abnormal blood flow between the two atria, which usually causes excessive blood flow to the lungs and may result in heart failure. Atrial septal defects are one of the most common congenital heart defects in pediatric cardiology and are often associated with other heart conditions or malformations.

ASD occurs in approximately 1 in 1.500 births and accounts for approximately 30 - 40 % of all congenital heart disease seen in adults as it can be unrecognized for decades.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF AN ASD?

Severity of symptoms often depends on the size of the hole. Large ASDs may cause fatigue, shortness of breath, pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmia and/or an enlarged heart.

HOW IS AN ASD TREATED?

There are several treatment options for an ASD, and there is no single option that is right for every patient. The first option is medication that may be used in treating symptoms associated with the ASD. Another treatment option is an open-heart surgery. The third option is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure where a small occluder is inserted through a small incision in the groin and guided through vessels to the heart, where it is placed to seal the duct.

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Heart with atrial septal defect
This occluder is specifically designed to close an ASD
VENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT (VSD)

A membranous Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) is an abnormal opening in the wall between the left and the right ventricle. Because there is more pressure in the left ventricle, the oxygen-rich blood flows back into the right ventricle and mixes with oxygen-poor blood. This blood then re-circulates through the lungs and back to the heart causing the heart to overwork. Because some oxygen-rich blood flows through the VSD, less oxygen-rich blood is available to be pumped to the body.

A VSD is common in both children and adults second only to bicuspid aortic valves as the most common congenital heart defect. The most common VSD type is the membranous VSD, occurring in 75 - 80 % of cases. Muscular VSD is the second most common type of VSD, occurring in 5 - 20 % of cases. Spontaneous closure of muscular VSD frequently occurs in the first 2 years of life, most by age 6 months.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A MEMBRANOUS VSD?

Severity of symptoms often depends on the size of the hole. While small membranous VSDs can sometimes cause no symptoms, medium to large membranous VSDs can allow more blood to pass through the hole, creating more work for the heart. The increased workload may cause fatigue, high blood pressure and/or an enlarged heart which can potentially cause permanent damage to the blood vessel walls. In babies, membranous VSDs can result in poor weight gain, poor exercise tolerance and possibly heart failure.

HOW IS A MEMBRANOUS VSD TREATED?

There are several treatment options for a membranous VSD, and there is no single option that is right for every patient. One option is medication which may be appropriate to help in treating symptoms associated with the membranous VSD. Another treatment option is an open-heart surgery. The third option is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure where a small occluder is inserted through a small incision in the groin and guided through vessels to the heart, where it is placed to seal the duct.

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Heart with ventricular septal defect
This occluder is specifically designed to close a membranous VSD.
MITRAL OR AORTIC VALVE DEFECT

A disease of the mitral or aortic valve could be due to several causes. The mitral valve allows oxygen-rich blood to flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle.  A dysfunction in this valve causes a lower blood flow to the left ventricle. The aortic valve pumps the oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle out to the entire body. A dysfunction in this valve causes a lower flow of oxygen-rich blood to the body. A defect of one of the valves forces the heart to work harder in order to pump enough blood to the body.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DEFECT HEART VALVES?

Severity of symptoms often depends on the level of the dysfunctionality of the valves. Symptoms may range from fatigue, shortness of breath during exertion, coughing, dizziness, congestion around the heart and lungs, swelling of the legs and feet, and mainly in children affected by aortic stenosis not eating enough and not gaining enough weight.

HOW IS A DEFECT HEART VALVE TREATED?

There are several treatment options for dysfunctional valves, and there is no single option that is right for every patient. One option is pharmacological therapy which may be appropriate to help in treating symptoms associated with the dysfunction of the valve. Another treatment option is an open-heart surgery performed with a large size valve, that is not suitable for a children’s heart. An additional treatment option is to implant a 17 or 15mm mechanical heart valve, the latter specifically designed for treating young patients with complex conditions, including newborns and young babies.

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Heart that indicates the aortic (left) and mitral (right) valve.
This 15mm pediatric heart valve is specifically designed to replace a defect mitral or aortic heart valve in babies and toddlers.

CONTACT US

If you have any questions or comments about this website, please address them to: info@remove-this.little-heartheroes.com

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Congenital heart defects. www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/data.html. Updated January 8, 2018.

Some of the content on this website relates individual patients’ responses to specific treatments. These accounts are genuine, typical and documented. However, they do not provide any indication, guide, warranty or guarantee as to the response other persons may have to the treatments. Responses to the treatments  can and do vary and are specific to the individual patient. The information provided is not intended for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult with a physician or qualified healthcare provider for appropriate medical advice.
 
Products intended for use by or under the direction of a physician. Prior to use, reference the Instructions for Use provided inside the product carton (when available) or at eifu.abbottvascular.com or at medical.abbott/manuals for more detailed information on Indications, Contraindications, Warnings, Precautions and Adverse Events. All drawings are artist’s representations only and should not be considered as an engineering drawing or photograph. Photo(s) on file at Abbott. Information contained herein is for distribution for Europe, Middle East and Africa ONLY. Please check the regulatory status of the device before distribution in areas where CE marking is not the regulation in force. For more information, visit our website at cardiovascular.abbott.
 
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