What will happen in the later stage if a ventricular septal defect is not operated on?

Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

Updated on August 31, 2024

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Because a ventricular septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease, if surgery is not performed, it can sometimes lead to ischemic and hypoxic conditions in patients. During this period, active surgical treatment is still necessary, as this disease primarily relies on surgical intervention. Medical treatment, especially drug therapy, is not very effective, so it is recommended to prioritize immediate treatment with surgical assistance.

After surgery, it is still necessary to regularly check the heart with an echocardiogram, as this disease can produce murmurs in the precordial area. Patients may also experience recurring respiratory infections, especially cases of bronchitis and bronchopneumonia.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong

Cardiology

1min 42sec

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Is perimembranous ventricular septal defect serious?

The ventricles are separated by the interventricular septum, which divides the left and right ventricles. Typically, after blood is ejected from the left ventricle and oxygenated by tissues, it returns to the right ventricle. The blood from the right ventricle gets oxygenated through the pulmonary artery before it can return to the left ventricle. These two should be isolated from each other before passing through the lungs. The interventricular septum consists of the membranous and muscular parts, and a defect in either part can affect oxygenation. Therefore, whether the defect is in the membranous or muscular portion is not an indicator for diagnosing the severity of the interventricular septum defect; rather, the size of the defect should be considered. Generally speaking, a defect of about 10mm in the interventricular septum, especially when accompanied by other conditions such as Tetralogy of Fallot, is considered severe. Moreover, when the defect reaches over 10mm, surgical intervention is required as minimally invasive surgery would not be feasible; these are considered severe interventricular septum defects. Also, there are cases with multiple complex defects or larger defects that should be surgically treated as soon as possible.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua

Cardiology

46sec

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Can a ventricular septal defect heal by itself?

Some ventricular septal defects can heal on their own. For ventricular septal defects smaller than five millimeters, some patients can heal on their own; the defects that generally heal are those in the membranous and muscular parts of the septum, and the younger the age, the greater the likelihood of healing. If the ventricular septal defect still exists after the age of five, it generally cannot heal on its own. For ventricular septal defects that do not heal spontaneously, if they significantly affect hemodynamics, interventional treatment or surgical surgery is needed for repair. If the impact of the ventricular septal defect on hemodynamics is not significant, regular follow-up examinations can be conducted to understand the condition of the disease.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

43sec

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Can ventricular septal defect be detected during prenatal screening?

Ventricular septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease that can only be diagnosed through an echocardiogram. Routine prenatal screenings cannot detect it. Particularly for newborns, it’s advisable to have an echocardiogram, and for fetuses, a four-dimensional ultrasound is recommended. Sometimes, ultrasound results can only serve as a reference and may not indicate actual problems, but there is also a certain margin of error. If a child has congenital heart disease, it is advisable to have regular echocardiogram check-ups at the hospital. This allows timely identification of the cause, and determination of whether surgery is necessary for treatment, which is the ultimate goal.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

40sec

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What should be noted for an atrial septal defect with patent foramen ovale?

If the patient presents with a ventricular septal defect or a patent foramen ovale, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and particularly to prevent upper respiratory infections, as these conditions are types of congenital heart disease. They mainly lead to repeated respiratory infections, cyanosis, or lung infections, resulting in changes associated with congenital heart disease. For a ventricular septal defect, early surgical intervention is currently recommended. Patent foramen ovale is also treated surgically. During this period, it is important to monitor changes in the child's height and weight, as such diseases can affect the child's growth and development.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong

Cardiology

46sec

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What would happen if the ventricular septal defect occluder dislodges?

An occluder generally works like two umbrella surfaces clamped over the orifice of the interventricular septal defect, achieving the method whereby tissue blood flow enters from the left side of the septum to the right side. Once an occluder dislodges, it can lead to a dangerous situation, as the occluder has a membrane that can easily get caught on the tendons of the mitral valve, causing severe mitral regurgitation; it can also get stuck at the mitral valve orifice, obstructing the outflow of blood; it may also lead to aortic valve insufficiency; if it gets caught in the major arteries, it can cause arterial embolism, leading to sudden death in the patient. Therefore, the dislodgement of an occluder is a very dangerous phenomenon.