What is Ventricular Septal Defect? Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a heart a malformation present at birth.

Any condition that is present at birth can also be termed congenital. VDS is therefore a type of congenital heart disease (CHD).A heart with VDS has a hole in the wall septum between the two lower chambers the ventricles. How Common is VDS? VDS is one of the most frequent of various types of CHD (25-30%) of all CHD. Approximately one infant out of 500 will be born with VDS. Design of the heart A normal heart is made up of four chambers. The upper right chamber (atrium) receives blood back from the body with much of the oxygen extracted by the body organs and tissues. The blood is then pumped through a one way valve into the lower right chamber (ventricle) from which it is pumped into the lungs to be again be enriched with oxygen. Then this highly oxygenated blood then returns to the upper left sided chamber (atrium) and next passes through a one way valve into lower left chamber. From there, the oxygenated blood is pumped out into a large blood vessel (aorta) and is distributed throughout the whole body through arteries. How is a VSD diagnosed? What are the symptoms of VDS of? The diagnosis of VDS is usually suspected clinically by hearing characteristic heart murmur. A sound generated by abnormally turbulent flow of blood through the heart. This murmur is the result of blood being shunted through the VDS from the

higher pressure left into the lower right ventricle. At birth, this pressure imbalance is minimal and does not usually develop until later in the first week of life. So it is rare for a doctor to hear the murmur of VDS until the baby is a few days old. The evaluation of a child with VDS is designed to confirm the diagnosis but also to check for other anatomical defects in the heart and estimate the size of the shunt of blood from the left to right ventricle. The evaluation begins with an EKG, a chest xray. A soundwave test of the heart (echocardiogram) is used to define the anatomy and evaluate the characteristics (amount and pressure) of the shunted blood. With the advent of superp echocardiography, the previously required cardiac catherization is rarely necessary. How does VDS cause problems? The pressure generated during contraction by the left ventricle is higher than that generated by the simultaneous contraction of the right ventricle. Blood will then be pushed through the VDS (shunted) from the left ventricle to the right ventricle. The right ventricle has to do extra work to handle the additional blood volume. It may have trouble keeping up the load enlarge, affecting its ability to pump efficiently. In addition, the lungs receive too much blood under too much pressure. The arteries in the lungs thicken in response to the excess blood under excess pressure. If this extra pressure persists, permanent damage can be done to the lungs. It also makes a difference if the VDS is small or large, What if VDS is small?

Small defects are less than 0.5 square cm are common. With small VDS, there is minimal shunting of blood and the pressure in the right ventricle remains normal. Since the right ventricular pressure is normal, there is no damage to the lung arterioles. The heart functions normally. A prominent murmur heard through a stethoscope is usually the only sign that brings the VDS to attention. This murmur is commonly noted during the first week of life. 1/3 to of small VSDs close on their own. This event occurs most often before the baby is a year old almost always before the age of 4 75% by 2 years of age. What is large VDS? Large defects are usually one greater than 1 cm2. With large VDS there is a lot more shunting of blood from the left ventricle into the right ventricle. This extra volume puts a strain on the right ventricle and causes an increase in the blood pressure of the lungs called pulmonary hypertension. The child may have labored breathing, difficulty feeding, grow poorly, and have pallor. With large VDS it is most likely that the child will have to have surgery to patch the hole in the ventricular septal. Long term precautions with VDS Repaired of not whether small or large, VDS creates an increased risk for infections of the heart walls and valves (endocarditis). Such an infection may be lifethreatening. To help prevent endocarditis, everyone with VDS repaired or not needs to take antibiotics before dental procedures, including cleaning and other dental care, and before any surgical procedures on the mouth or throat.

Conclusion The heart is a very important function of the body. So with any kind of congenital heart disease (CHF). It is very important to get it treated because if it goes untreated it can cause serious damage to the heart, other parts if the body, and can also so be deadly. Keep