Hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Injury	Diseases	Nutrition	Poison
Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Heart, front view

(Page 2)

In some hospitals, heart transplantation is considered a better choice than the three-step surgery process. However, there are few donated hearts available for small infants.

Expectations (prognosis)

If left untreated, hypoplastic left heart syndrome is fatal. Survival rates for the staged repair continue to rise as surgical techniques and postoperative management improve. Survival after the first stage is more than 75%.

The size and function of the right ventricle are important in determining the child's outcome after surgery.

Complications

Complications include:

Blockage of the artificial shunt
Chronic diarrhea (from a disease called protein losing enteropathy)
Fluid in the abdomen (ascites) and in the lungs (pleural effusion)
Heart failure
Irregular, fast heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
Strokes and other neurological complications
Sudden death

text continues below

Calling your health care provider

Contact your health care provider immediately if your infant:

Eats less (decreased feeding)
Has blue (cyanotic) skin or mucus membranes
Has new changes in breathing patterns

Page: <<Prev 1 | 2

Review Date: 12/21/2009
Reviewed By: Kurt R. Schumacher, MD, Pediatric Cardiology, University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center, Ann Arbor, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).