AVSD Closure:

The cornerstone of treatment for children with AVSD is open-heart surgery. The repair entails dividing the common valve into right and left sides and closing the holes with one or two patches. This is done after the heart/lung bypass procedure to keep the circulation going while the repair is being done. To reduce valve leakage, stitches are also inserted in the valve. The surgical repair results are excellent, with 95 percent of patients surviving without severe problems. Abnormal cardiac rhythm and persistent valve leakage are two complications.

Disease Overview

Pulmonary vascular disease
PVD (pulmonary vascular disease) is a general word that refers to any disorder that affects the lungs' blood vessels. These veins transport oxygen-depleted blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The pulmonary arteries transport deoxygenated blood to the lungs, where oxygen is taken up.

Disease Signs and Symptoms

Several variables influence the symptoms of pulmonary vascular disease:

The rapidity with which the procedure affecting the pulmonary blood vessels occurred

Which blood vessels in the lungs are affected? (where the pulmonary vascular disease is)

What portion of the pulmonary vascular system is impacted?

A rapid, significant pulmonary embolism, for example, might cause severe shortness of breath and chest discomfort by obstructing a big pulmonary artery. However, a little pulmonary embolism (one that affects only a tiny blood artery) may go unnoticed.

Although the symptoms of pulmonary vascular disease vary, each of the sources of the disease has a set of common symptoms:

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a condition that causes shortness of breath that worsens over time. Chest discomfort or fainting (syncope) with effort might develop as the disease progresses.

A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that forms abruptly in the lungs. Shortness of breath, chest discomfort (which is exacerbated by deep breathing), and a fast heart rate are all typical symptoms. Depending on the size of the blood clot, pulmonary embolism symptoms can range from mild to severe (s).

Pulmonary venous hypertension: This kind of pulmonary vascular illness is associated with shortness of breath due to the presence of congestive heart failure. Shortness of breath can be exacerbated by resting flat, having an unstable blood pressure, or having too much fluid in the body (edema).

Disease Causes:

The causes of pulmonary vascular disease differ depending on which blood arteries in the lungs are afflicted. There are various types of pulmonary vascular disease:

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a condition in which the blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries is elevated (carrying blood away from the heart to the lungs). Lung illness, autoimmune disease, or heart failure can all contribute to pulmonary arterial hypertension. Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension occurs when there is no obvious reason.

Pulmonary Venous Hypertension (PVH) is characterized by an increase in blood pressure in the pulmonary veins (carrying blood away from the lungs, to the heart). Congestive heart failure is the most common cause of pulmonary venous hypertension. Pseudo-venous hypertension can be caused by a defective mitral valve in the heart (mitral stenosis or regurgitation).

A blood clot breaks off from a deep vein (typically in the leg), travels to the right heart, and is pumped into the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism. Occasionally, rather than a blood clot, an embolism might be a huge bubble of air or a ball of fat.

Disease Diagnosis:

A clinician may suspect the presence of pulmonary vascular disease based on a patient's symptoms, indicators, and medical history. One or more of the following tests are commonly used to diagnose pulmonary vascular disease:

CT scan: A CT scanner collects several X-rays and uses a computer to create detailed pictures of the lungs and chest. A pulmonary embolism in a pulmonary artery may generally be detected with CT scanning. CT scans might also reveal issues with the lungs itself.

The V/Q scan (ventilation/perfusion scan) is a nuclear medicine diagnostic that takes pictures of how effectively the lungs fill with air. Photographs of blood flow via the pulmonary blood arteries are compared to those of those images. Unmatched regions might indicate the presence of a pulmonary embolism (blood clot).

An ultrasound video of the beating heart is called an echocardiography. An echocardiography can detect congestive heart failure, heart valve disease, and other disorders that contribute to pulmonary vascular disease.

A pressure sensor is put into a vein in the neck or groyne during right cardiac catheterization. The sensor is advanced via the veins, into the right heart, and finally into the pulmonary artery by a doctor. The best way to identify pulmonary arterial hypertension is to have a right cardiac catheterization.

X-ray film of the chest: Pulmonary vascular disease cannot be diagnosed with a simple chest X-ray. However, it may reveal underlying lung illness or enlargements in the pulmonary arteries, which might indicate pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Angiography (angiography) of the pulmonary arterial system: Contrast dye is injected into the bloodstream, and X-ray scans of the chest provide detailed views of the pulmonary artery system. Angiography is quite effective in diagnosing pulmonary embolism, however it is no longer used because CT scans are more convenient, less invasive, and have a reduced risk.

Disease Treatment:

Pulmonary vascular disease can be treated in a variety of ways. The aetiology of pulmonary vascular disease determines how it is treated.

Blood thinners are used to treat pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs) (anticoagulation).

Chronic thromboembolic illness: In severe cases of thromboembolic disease, surgery to clear the pulmonary arteries may be required (thromboendarterectomy). In addition, blood thinners are utilised.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can be treated using a variety of medications that reduce blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries.

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension has been demonstrated to benefit the most from these medicines.

If another condition causes pulmonary vascular disease, addressing that condition may help to improve the pulmonary vascular disease:

Drugs that inhibit the immune system are commonly used to treat autoimmune illnesses such as lupus, scleroderma, and Sjogren's syndrome.

In patients with pulmonary vascular disease who have low blood oxygen levels (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial lung disease), breathed oxygen can help halt the course of the condition.