How to Deal With Pulmonary Atresia
Pulmonary atresia is a type of congenital heart disease. Congenital means that the problem occurs during the baby’s birth. This disease is characterized by an abnormality in the heart of the infant, which could have been developed within the eight months his body is forming inside his mother’s womb.
Pulmonary atresia directly affects the heart’s pulmonary valve, the valve found between the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle. This valve serves like a stopper so that the blood would flow forward only. The pulmonary valve has three flaps that can only open in one direction. It is this structure effectively prevents the blood from flowing backwards.
If a person is said to be suffering from pulmonary atresia, it means that his heart’s pulmonary valve does not open properly. Hence, blood won’t flow normally to the lungs as it flows from the right ventricle. And since this disease is congenital, the moment the baby is delivered, he would experience difficulty coping with the outside world in general. Inside his mother’s womb, this does not became a problem at all because it is the mother’s placenta that delivers the required oxygen to his body.
The Causes of Pulmonary Atresia
The real cause of pulmonary atresia cannot be determined yet up to this time. But there have been researches proving that this disease is probably genetic. A certain abnormality in either the parent’s chromosomes may cause the disease, and that the disease was seen to run in the family. But then again, certain instances of this disease develop for no reason at all in some individuals.
The Symptoms of Pulmonary Atresia
The symptoms of pulmonary atresia show almost immediately after the baby’s birth. The most notable indication is that the baby seems to turn blue the moment their primary oxygen source, which is the placenta, is removed. This incidence is called cyanosis or the blue baby syndrome.
Along with that symptom, babies tend to breath rapidly. This is because they find it difficult to fill their lungs with oxygen. They also feel irritable and lethargic due to their condition. They would tend to also have cool, sweaty, pale skin.
The Diagnosis of Pulmonary Atresia
Since this disease occurs in children, it is important that a pediatric cardiologist handles the patient. Neonatologists can also be an alternative in the absence of these patients. To accurately assess the baby’s condition, first, a chest x-ray is requested. This is quite a simple examination but it will give the doctor a good impression of the baby’s heart and lungs.
An eletrocardiogram, or more popularly called the ECG, is next requested. This procedure can show the abnormalities in the rhythm of the heart, as well as the heart’s stress. An echocardiogram would give the doctor a picture of the heart while it is functioning, recorded through a series of sound waves directed to the organ.
Another optional procedure is cardiac catheterization. This is an invasive procedure that involves the insertion of a catheter, or a thin and flexible tube into the blood vessel and is then guided towards the heart. The tube is used along with a device that would record the blood pressure as well as the oxygen content of the heart. A dye may also be injected to it so that the structures inside the heart are more clearly visualized.
The Treatment of Pulmonary Atresia
Because this is a critical disease and it affects newborn babies who don’t have strong body defenses yet, the treatment is conducted under intensive care only. The first line of action in the attempt to cure this disease is balloon atrial septostomy. This procedure performed in conjunction with cardiac catheterization. An inflated balloon is inserted through the catheter so that the pulmonary valve of the heart will be stretched open. And then the catheter is pulled back so as to create a hole, thus allowing the blood to mix with oxygen.
If this can’t help the patient, the next step the doctor has to do is to perform a therapeutic surgery on the patient, which is fully dependent upon the baby’s ability to withstand such procedure. The baby’s condition is also considered to determine exactly whether or not a surgery is necessary that point.
