When is hlhs diagnosis

Congenital means present at birth. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome affects a number of structures on the left side of the heart that do not fully develop, for example:. In a baby without a congenital heart defect, the right side of the heart pumps oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs. The left side of the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.

Normally, these openings will close a few days after birth. In babies with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the left side of the heart cannot pump oxygen-rich blood to the body properly. During the first few days of life for a baby with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the oxygen-rich blood bypasses the poorly functioning left side of the heart through the patent ductus arteriosus and the patent foramen ovale. The right side of the heart then pumps blood to both the lungs and the rest of the body.

However, among babies with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, when these openings close, it becomes hard for oxygen-rich blood to get to the rest of the body. Learn more about how the heart works ». Women can take steps before and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of having a baby born with birth defects. Such steps include taking a daily multivitamin with folic acid micrograms , not smoking, and not drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Learn more about how to prevent birth defects ». Teagan was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Read his story as well as other stories from families affected by hypoplastic left heart syndrome ».

After the surgery, your baby will return to the intensive care unit ICU to be closely watched. After the first surgery, you can expect your child to be in the hospital for 3 to 4 weeks.

When your child is well enough to go home, the healthcare provider may recommend pain medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to keep your child comfortable.

Your child's healthcare provider will discuss pain control before your baby goes home. If any special treatments are to be given at home, the nursing staff will make sure that you or a home health agency are able to provide them. Without surgery, babies with hypoplastic left heart syndrome will not live longer than a few days or weeks. The first stage of the surgery has the highest risk for complications and death. Some special treatment centers that do many of these procedures have higher survival rates than centers where fewer procedures are done.

Survival rates are higher with the second and third stages of surgery. Babies and children who have the staged surgeries will need special care and treatment to support growth and development.

These children often have physical developmental delays and will likely need extra support. In the long term, these children have an increased risk for complications such as heart failure and heart rhythm problems. They are also at risk for digestive and liver problems. Children with HLHS after surgery have lower exercise tolerance.

Your child will need regular follow-up care at a center specializing in this type of congenital heart care. Call your child's healthcare provider if your child's symptoms get worse or if new symptoms develop. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a group of problems that affect the heart and large blood vessels. At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests.

Learn more about the Fetal Cardiology Program. Surgery Your child will usually need a series of three operations. The goal of these surgeries is to enable the fully-functioning right ventricle to do the work normally done by two ventricles and to separate the oxygen-rich blood from the oxygen-poor blood.

This may be an option for children with borderline HLHS. In some situations, this repair can be the initial procedure, but in others, a series of procedures may be used to recruit the small left ventricle before converting the heart to biventricular circulation. What is the long-term outlook for children with HLHS? The commitment and compassion with which we care for all children and families is matched only by the pioneering spirit of discovery and innovation that drives us to think differently, to find answers, and to build a better tomorrow for children everywhere.

Routine screening with fetal echocardiography for prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease. Ultrasound Rev Obstet Gynecol.

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Cardiovasc Clin. Bull C. Current and potential impact of fetal diagnosis on prevalence and spectrum of serious congenital heart disease at term in the UK. British Paediatric Cardiac Association. Simpson JM. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. Gillum RF. Epidemiology of congenital heart disease in the United States. Am Heart J. Outcome after prenatal diagnosis of the hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Outcome after prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic left-heart syndrome: A case series. Pregnancy outcome of fetuses with a diagnosis of hypoplastic left ventricle on prenatal sonography. J Ultrasound Med. Development of significant left and right ventricular hypoplasia in the second and third trimester fetus.