“There are many patients with tetralogy of Fallot now, and it is really rare that they can live to their thirties and have three children without treatment! “The feelings of the doctors came from the ward of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College and the Joint Heart Surgery Center of Wuhan Yaxin Hospital. It turned out that a mother of three with tetralogy of Fallot had just completed the rescue in the department.
Doctors operating on Ms. Yan
Ms. Yan (pseudonym), 34, was diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot more than 20 years ago. Doctors recommended surgery but she has not been treated. During the following three pregnancies, Ms. Yan continued to experience chest tightness, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. She even needed to stay in bed for a month to get a slight improvement. Until the beginning of September this year, Ms. Yan’s symptoms of chest tightness and shortness of breath became more frequent, and even her lips were purple. She often needed to squat to relieve symptoms, which had seriously affected her normal life. The United Cardiac Surgery Center conducted a cardiac ultrasound examination for Ms. Yan and found that in addition to tetralogy of Fallot, Ms. Yan’s heart valve also had different degrees of lesions.
Tetralogy of Fallot is a complex cyanotic congenital heart disease typically associated with ventricular septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, aortic straddling, and right ventricular hypertrophy. According to Wang Xiao, deputy director of the Joint Cardiac Surgery Center, such patients will experience varying degrees of hypoxia when they are onset, and may squat in severe cases. Most critically ill patients will die due to secondary myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure.
Infographic: Tetralogy of Fallot
“Pregnancy will increase the burden on the heart. It is hard to imagine how this mother went through three difficult pregnancies.” Wang Xiao introduced that Ms. Yan’s congenitally “injured” heart is now overloaded , The state of the heart is in jeopardy, and surgery should be performed as soon as possible.
After a detailed assessment of Ms. Yan’s physical indicators and the improvement of various preoperative examinations, on September 21, the operation team of the Joint Heart Surgery Center successfully performed Fallo for Ms. Yan, which lasted four and a half hours. Tetralogy correction surgery + tricuspid valvuloplasty + temporary pacemaker placement on the cardiac surface. The operation was successfully concluded. Next, the mother of three children will start a healthy “heart” life.
Knowledge D: The burden on the cardiovascular system of women is significantly increased during pregnancy, and it is recommended to do a cardiac examination before preparing for pregnancy
The burden of various organs in women increases significantly after pregnancy, especially the cardiovascular system. Director Wang Xiao introduced that for pregnant women with congenital heart disease, especially complex congenital heart disease, as the burden on the heart increases, their cardiovascular system will gradually be on the verge of collapse. Once the tolerance level is exceeded, it will collapse thousands of miles and threaten life. Safety. Wang Xiao suggested that women should do a detailed cardiac examination before preparing for pregnancy. If they are diagnosed with congenital heart disease or other cardiovascular diseases, they should not rashly become pregnant, and need to go to a regular heart specialist hospital for further examination or treatment.
【trainee reporter】Peng Shen
[Correspondent] Yan Xiaodan
【Author】 Peng Shen
[Source] Southern Media Group Southern+Client