Truncus arteriosus

Truncus arteriosus is a cyanotic congenital heart disease in which one single great vessel with a single semilunar valve gives rise to the aorta, pulmonary arteries and the coronary arteries. There are three morphological types depending on the origin of pulmonary arteries from the truncus. In type I, a common pulmonary trunk arises from the truncus arteriosus and divides into left and right pulmonary arteries. In type II, the two pulmonary arteries arises separately, but adjacent to each other, from the truncus. In type III, the two pulmonary arteries arise separately from either side of the truncus. The older classification had a type IV as well, which is a pseudotruncus, meaning pulmonary atresia. Another situation is hemitruncus in which one pulmonary artery arises from the aorta. The origins of the pulmonary arteries from the truncus may be stenotic and thereby restricting the pulmonary blood flow. Sometimes one pulmonary artery may be absent. Right aortic arch is more common with truncus arteriosus. Absent pulmonary artery is on the same side as the arch in truncus while it is on the opposite side in tetralogy of Fallot. If the origins of the pulmonary arteries are not stenotic, the babies with truncus arteriosus develop heart failure due to the large pulmonary blood flow and pulmonary obstructive vascular disease develops early. Truncal valve regurgitation is a common association with truncus arteriosus and so is a ventricular septal defect. DiGeorge syndrome is anothe...
Source: Cardiophile MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: ECG / Electrophysiology General Cardiology Source Type: blogs