Tetralogy of Fallot pathophysiology
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [2], Keri Shafer, M.D. [3]; Atif Mohammad, M.D.; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [4]
Overview
The obstruction of right ventricular outflow in Tetralogy of Fallot causes blood to shunt or flow from the right to left side of heart through the ventricular septal defect. This causes right ventricular hypertrophy and eventual right sided heart failure. There is flow of deoxygenated venous blood from the right side of the heart to the systemic circulation resulting in cyanosis.
Pathophysiology
- Tetralogy of Fallot results in cyanosis, (hypoxia or low oxygenation) of the blood due to mixing of deoxygenated venous blood from the right ventricle with oxygenated blood in the left ventricle through the ventricular septal defect and preferential flow of both oxygenated and deoxygenated blood from the ventricles through the aorta because of obstruction to flow through the pulmonary valve. This is known as a right-to-left shunt.
- Children with tetralogy of Fallot may develop acute severe cyanosis or hypoxic "tet spells". The precise mechanism of these episodes is in doubt, but presumably results from an increase in resistance to blood flow to the lungs with increased preferential flow of desaturated blood to the body.
See also
References
External links
- Information by University of Michigan Health System
- Diagram of the condition
- Information for adults with ToF from the Adult Congenital Heart Association
de:Fallot-Tetralogie it:Tetralogia di Fallot nl:Tetralogie van Fallot nn:Fallots tetrade uk:Тетрада Фалло