Tetralogy of Fallot cyanosis cause

Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
Updated on September 27, 2024
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Tetralogy of Fallot, due to a ventricular septal defect combined with right ventricular outflow tract narrowing, can display left-to-right, bidirectional, or even right-to-left shunting at the ventricular level. Patients with mild pulmonary stenosis can have left-to-right shunting and usually do not exhibit cyanosis. However, when the pulmonary stenosis is severe, significant right-to-left shunting occurs, and clinically apparent cyanosis becomes evident. Cyanosis is commonly observed in areas rich in capillaries and superficial tissues, such as the lips, fingertips, nail beds, and bulbar conjunctiva.

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Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
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Tetralogy of Fallot cyanosis cause

Tetralogy of Fallot, due to a ventricular septal defect combined with right ventricular outflow tract narrowing, can display left-to-right, bidirectional, or even right-to-left shunting at the ventricular level. Patients with mild pulmonary stenosis can have left-to-right shunting and usually do not exhibit cyanosis. However, when the pulmonary stenosis is severe, significant right-to-left shunting occurs, and clinically apparent cyanosis becomes evident. Cyanosis is commonly observed in areas rich in capillaries and superficial tissues, such as the lips, fingertips, nail beds, and bulbar conjunctiva.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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Is it normal after the complete repair of Tetralogy of Fallot?

Tetralogy of Fallot is a serious congenital heart defect characterized by a ventricular septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, and problems with right ventricular obstruction. It is a congenital disease that can cause hypoxia throughout the body, especially as age increases, the symptoms tend to worsen. After the corrective surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot, it does not mean that the patient is completely normal. Their lifespan is still somewhat impacted. They will not be like patients with simpler congenital heart diseases such as only a ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect, who can achieve a natural lifespan. For these individuals, their lifespan is still impacted to some extent. As they age post-surgery, some complications may arise, including sudden death, and some may require a second surgery.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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Does Tetralogy of Fallot involve chromosomal abnormalities?

Tetralogy of Fallot is primarily a developmental disorder, generally unrelated to chromosomes, with no chromosomal abnormalities. The cause of the disease is still not very clear. If pregnant again and giving birth again, it generally does not recur. Therefore, couples undergoing chromosomal testing before pregnancy is a common practice. It is generally believed that the four malformations in Tetralogy of Fallot occur due to viral infections acquired by the fetus during pregnancy, the mother consuming alcohol, or the use of certain medications during pregnancy. Currently, these are considered related factors, and so far, no abnormalities have been found related to genetics or chromosomes.

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Pediatrics
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Tetralogy of Fallot Common Symptoms

The clinical manifestations of Tetralogy of Fallot include, firstly, cyanosis as the primary clinical symptom. The degree and onset of cyanosis are related to the severity of pulmonary stenosis, and it often appears in areas with abundant capillaries such as lips, fingers, toes, nail beds, and bulbar conjunctiva. Secondly, squatting symptoms are common among children; they often spontaneously squat for a while during walking or playing. Squatting, with the legs bent, reduces the venous return and thus decreases the load on the heart, temporarily relieving symptoms of hypoxia by reducing the right-to-left shunt. Thirdly, clubbing occurs due to long-term hypoxic conditions, which can cause capillary dilation and proliferation in the fingers and toes, and the local soft tissues and bones also grow and enlarge; fourthly, paroxysmal hypoxic attacks, which are most common in infants, can be triggered by breastfeeding, crying, emotional excitement, or anemia. These attacks suddenly occur and can lead to severe symptoms including difficulty breathing, fainting, convulsions, and even death.

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The reason for squatting in Tetralogy of Fallot

The reason for squatting is that when squatting, the lower limbs are bent, which reduces the amount of blood returning to the heart through the veins, thereby reducing the load on the heart. At the same time, the arteries in the lower limbs are compressed, which increases the resistance in the systemic circulation and reduces the right-to-left shunt volume, allowing temporary relief from hypoxia symptoms. Babies who cannot walk often like to be held by adults in a position that bends the lower limbs to reduce the amount of blood returning to the heart. This frequently occurs during walking and playing, often characterized by brief periods of squatting.