| From your Guide Dr.MANI |  | |
Ventricular Septal Defect - VSD | ||
| From your Guide Dr.MANI | | |
Ventricular Septal Defect - VSD | ||
| |
What is a Ventricular Septal Defect ?
Ventricular septal defects - also called VSD - are similar to ASD. A VSD is a "hole" in the wall
between the two lower chambers of the heart - the ventricles.
VSD may be small, medium-sized or large, and may be single or multiple. It may occur in different
parts of the ventricular septum, and may sometimes be found along with other heart defects.
What happens when there is a VSD ?
The wall between ventricles is meant to separate blood passing through each. This is to prevent
mixing of "impure" blood from the veins with "pure" blood going to the arteries. When the wall is
"broken", mixing occurs. However, only "pure" blood flows from the left ventricle into the right; no
flow is seen from the right ventricle into the left side across the VSD and so "impure" venous blood
does not reach the arteries. This is because pressure in the left ventricle is much higher than the
right, and fluids always flow from places of high to lower pressure.
Because of this flow from left to right ventricle across the VSD - also called a LEFT to RIGHT
SHUNT - more blood than normal flows into the lungs. Just as in atrial septal defects (ASD), this
causes frequent "chest colds" and breathing difficulty in children. When the VSD is large, in a very
small child, lung blood flow may be so enormous that the tiny ventricles cannot pump such a
volume. This causes HEART FAILURE. Heart failure in a child produces rapid shallow breathing,
excessive sweating, inability to feed well, irritability, constant crying, and a failure to grow normally.
Have you felt a kitten purring ? Well, here's something interesting about these children with VSD.
When you place your palm over their chest, there is a sensation just like that - called a THRILL. It
is produced by the forceful and turbulent flow of blood across the VSD.
One effect seen in VSD - but not in ASD - is the rapid development of abnormal changes in the
blood vessels of the lungs. The arteries and veins in the lung become thick walled and hard rather
early in life. The reason for this is perhaps because blood from the left ventricle, which is the most
powerful chamber of the heart, is pumped under high pressure across the VSD into the lungs. To
withstand such force, the tubes carrying blood become thick and strong.
What happens when VSD are left untreated ? Read on ....
 |
 |
|
Copyright 1998, All rights reserved. |
