Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome - HLHS : Heart Disease : Heart Disease Online

	From your Guide Dr.MANI
*Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome*

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The "hypoplastic left heart syndrome" - or more conveniently, "HLHS" - is a unique defect of the heart in many ways. Until a decade ago, the diagnosis was a virtual death sentence. Today, the revolution in cardiac surgical thinking and technique has changed the situation radically. Whereas survival beyond the first few months of life was previously unheard of, many centers are today reporting encouraging results. And it is bound to improve further as more knowledge is gained from the early experience.

What is the HLHS ?

The heart has two upper and two lower chambers - one of each is right sided and the other left sided. The left sided chambers, with their blood vessels and valves are sometimes referred to as the LEFT HEART. ( This does not mean that the person has TWO hearts ! ) The structures included by the term "left heart" are the left atrium, left ventricle, mitral valve, aortic valve and the aorta.
Sometimes, due to abnormal development, the left heart structures may be small - or HYPOPLASTIC. The defect may affect any combination of left heart structures, or rarely even all of them. This condition is called HYPOPLASTIC LEFT HEART SYNDROME or (HLHS). Some surgeons recognize sub-types of HLHS which have different outcomes. The actual measurements below which we can categorize a small "left heart" as HLHS have been described.

Why is HLHS such a dangerous condition ?

The left ventricle is the main pumping chamber of the heart. By its action, the left ventricle delivers "pure" blood to all parts of the body. This blood contains oxygen and energy-giving nutrients, which are required by different organs to function normally.
In HLHS, there is a reduction in the flow of "pure" blood from the left ventricle. This is because the ventricle itself is small, or the pathway of blood flow INTO IT (the left atrium and mitral valve) or OUT OF IT (the aortic valve, and aorta) is small. So all parts of the body - the kidneys, liver, muscles, brain and the heart itself - get less energy, and cannot work normally.

What then are Nature's compensatory methods in HLHS ?

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