DextrocardiaNancy McDaniel M.D.Dextrocardia is a medical term that means that the heart is in the right chest. In nearly all people and most children who have heart disease the heart is in the left chest. Occasionally when the heart forms it is in the right chest. A heart in the right chest can be normal with four chambers and four valves with no holes or abnormal valves. A heart in the right chest may also have holes in the heart or abnormal valves. If the heart was formed normally and is in the right side of the chest those children usually lead normal lives with normal ability to grow, develop well, and play sports. Limitations come from other heart defects or defects of the lungs or chest which cause the heart to be on the right. This is a very rare condition and if the heart is normal it requires no medication or surgery.
 Normal Heart  |