What is Truncus Arteriosus ?

Truncus arteriosus is a rare complex birth defect of the heart in which only ONE ARTERY leaves the heart, instead of the normal pattern where two great arteries - the aorta and the pulmonary artery - carry blood away from the heart.

In truncus arteriosus, a single large arterial trunk arises in common from both the right and left ventricles. It then divides into the aorta and pulmonary artery, after first giving off coronary artery branches.

The method of branching allows the classification of truncus arteriosus into three types.

• Type 1 : The truncus gives off a main pulmonary artery and then continues as the aorta. The main pulmonary artery then divides into two branch pulmonary arteries - right and left.
• Type 2 : The right and left branch pulmonary arteries arise as separate branches, but close to each other, directly from the truncus arteriosus. Beyond these branches, the truncus continues as the aorta.
• Type 3 : The right and left pulmonary arteries arise separately from the truncus, but widely separated from each other - one on each side, right and left, of the truncus. This type resembles type 2 in all other respects.

In all three types, the coronary arteries are the first branches of the common truncus.

What are the other features of a truncus arteriosus ?... Read on

 

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