TOF is repaired through open-heart surgery soon after birth or later in infancy. Some infants need more than one heart surgery. Most babies who are treated do very well, but will need regular follow-up visits with a heart specialist.
Can tetralogy of Fallot be corrected?
Tetralogy of Fallot must be repaired with open-heart surgery, either soon after birth or later in infancy. The goal of surgery is to repair the four defects of tetralogy of Fallot so the heart can work as normally as possible. Repairing the defects can greatly improve a child’s health and quality of life.
How long can you live with tetralogy of Fallot?
Conclusions: The vast majority of the patients seemed to live normal lives 20–37 years after Tetralogy of Fallot repair. Late deaths were cardiac in origin, including sudden death from arrhythmias.
Is tetralogy of Fallot a terminal?
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a congenital heart defect that can be fatal if it’s left untreated.
Does tetralogy of Fallot go away?
While most babies and adults do well after open-heart surgery to repair tetralogy of Fallot defects (intracardiac repair), long-term complications are common.
What is the optimal age for repair of tetralogy of Fallot?
The best survival and physiological outcomes were achieved with primary repair in children aged 3 to 11 months. Conclusions: On the basis of mortality and physiological outcomes, the optimal age for elective repair of tetralogy of Fallot is 3 to 11 months of age.
Does tetralogy of Fallot qualify for disability?
Congenital heart disease comes in many forms, with some presenting serious limitations for the patient and others being barely noticeable. If your type of congenital heart disease is so severe that you are unable to work, you may be able to get disability benefits from Social Security (SSDI or SSI).
What is the most common complication found in patients with tetralogy of Fallot?
When a valve leaks, blood can flow back into the chamber. Patients with tetralogy of Fallot are also at risk for developing aneurysms of the ascending aorta. The most common valve problem after tetralogy of Fallot repair is a leaking pulmonary valve, but the aortic and tricuspid heart valves can leak also.
Does tetralogy of Fallot affect growth?
A higher risk of having irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmia. Dizziness, fainting, or seizures, because of the low oxygen levels in their blood. Delayed growth and development.
What are the complications of tetralogy of Fallot?
What are possible complications of tetralogy of Fallot? Blood clots (which may be in the brain causing stroke) Infection in the lining of the heart and heart valves (bacterial endocarditis) Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) Heart failure. Death.
Is tetralogy of Fallot genetic?
For the majority of individuals with tetralogy of Fallot, there has been no identified genetic cause. Some individuals may have other birth defects and/or health issues, in addition to TOF, that may be part of a genetic syndrome.
Why does a child with tetralogy of Fallot squat?
Squatting is a compensatory mechanism, of diagnostic significance, and highly typical of infants with tetralogy of Fallot. Squatting increases peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) and thus decreases the magnitude of the right-to-left shunt across the ventricular septal defect (VSD).
How much does tetralogy of Fallot surgery cost?
Finally, the average adjusted cost savings per patient if all centers were to perform as well as the lowest cost quartile were estimated from the models for each surgery: atrial septal defect repair, $3741; ventricular septal defect repair, $6323; tetralogy of Fallot repair, $5789; and arterial switch opera- tion, $12.
What happens during a Tet spell?
A tet spell is an episode in which a child or infant becomes extremely blue and frequently agitated and out of breath. The spell is caused by a relatively sudden decrease in blood flow to the lungs. Tet spells can be precipitated by a number of things, including dehydration, agitation, or fever.
What is the treatment for a Tet spell?
Place infants with hypercyanotic spells in the knee-chest position and give oxygen; sometimes, opioids (morphine or fentanyl), volume expansion, sodium bicarbonate, beta-blockers (propranolol or esmolol), or phenylephrine may help. Repair surgically at 2 to 6 months or earlier if symptoms are severe.
Can Tetralogy of Fallot cause heart failure?
Most heart failure seen in patients with TOF (of all ages) is mediated, at least in part, by pulmonic insufficiency. Nevertheless, there is a trend toward increased numbers of TOF patients developing biventricular or left-sided heart failure in the absence of significant pulmonic valve dysfunction.
When is the best time for corrective surgery in patients with tetralogy of Fallot between 0 and 12 months of age?
demonstrated that the best age for surgical correction of TF is between 3 and 6 months and Kantorova et al. [ 31. Primary early correction of tetralogy of Fallot irrespective of age.
How does a BT shunt work?
A BT shunt is tiny, measuring less than 5 millimeters (0.20 inches) in diameter. A surgeon attaches the two ends of the shunt to a major blood vessel, such as the subclavian artery, and to the pulmonary artery. The high-pressure arterial system will force blood through the BT shunt to the lungs to pick up more oxygen.
Does Tetralogy of Fallot run in families?
TOF does not typically run in families, but congenital heart defects in general are slightly more common if there is a close relative with any kind of congenital heart defect.
Can you get disability for having open heart surgery?
Individuals who have undergone a heart transplant are considered disabled for one year following surgery under Listing 4.09. After a year, it’s possible they may remain disabled under another listing or a medical-vocational allowance.
Can you get disability for a birth defect?
Yes, many birth defects are listed on the SSA’s list of impairments, which includes: Low birth weight and failure to thrive. Respiratory disorders. Disorders of the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, digestive, blood, and skin.
Can Tetralogy of Fallot be diagnosed in adulthood?
While it is highly unusual for ToF to go undiagnosed until adulthood, it does happen — typically in cases such as this when there is a perfect balance in childhood between the narrowing of the pulmonic valve and the ventricular septal defect so that cyanosis does not occur.
Do blue babies survive?
Studies show that the long-term survival of “blue babies” and other patients with congenital heart defects is reasonably good. Over 90 percent of the patients are alive 20 years after the first conduit operation, while the mortality rate within 30 days after the operation is less than 1 percent, reoperations included.
Can Tetralogy of Fallot be detected before birth?
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a congenital heart defect that can be diagnosed either before or after a baby is born.