Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)

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1. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (also called HLHS) is a congenital heart defect occurring during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy which leaves the left side of the heart underdeveloped and small. Normally, the right side flows blood to the lungs where oxygen is enriched before it travels to the heart’s left side while the left side of the heart pumps blood into the aorta which flows oxygen-rich blood to the body. In HLHS, the left side of the heart is not able to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body efficiently because the left ventricle is underdeveloped or small. In this case, the right side of the heart pumps the blood both into the lungs and the rest of the body through the ductus arteriosus and the oxygen-rich blood travels back to the …show more content…

Pulmonary atresia is congenital heart defect wherein the baby’s pulmonary valve does not form properly. Normally, the pulmonary valve regulates the blood flow from the heart to the lungs. In pulmonary atresia, a solid sheet of tissue forms at the valve opening which keeps the valve closed. Due to this, the blood from the right side of the heart cannot travel in its normal pathway to pick up oxygen from the lungs. Symptoms of pulmonary atresia may include cyanosis, rapid breathing, fatigue, poor nutrition, and shortness of breath. Possible treatments of pulmonary atresia include administration of prostaglandin E1, open heart surgery, heart reconstruction, heart transplant, and heart …show more content…

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that mostly affects premature infants. Premature infants have very few tiny alveoli that are not fully developed for the lungs to function normally. As a result, premature infants need respiratory support to provide oxygen or they need to be under mechanical ventilation in order to support their breathing. However, BPD is a result of the damage to the lungs caused by mechanical ventilation or by the long-term use of supplemental oxygen. This causes dysplasia and scarring of the air sacs and the damage will continue to affect alveoli that develop after birth. It will also affect the blood vessels which make it difficult for blood to go through the lungs, resulting in pulmonary hypertension and even heart failure. Most babies who have BPD are born with respiratory distress syndrome, a breathing disorder wherein fluid builds up in the alveoli which decreases the amount of oxygen reaching the bloodstream resulting in oxygen deprivation. The lungs are not completely formed or are unable to produce adequate surfactant, the liquid that covers the lungs in order to keep them open and aid in breathing once the infant is born. Without adequate surfactant, the lungs can collapse which causes difficulty in breathing. Because of this, the infant is not able to breathe and circulate sufficient levels of oxygen in order to support the other organs of the body. Most common symptoms of BPD are rapid and labored breathing,

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