Hypoplastic Left Heart SyndromeNancy McDaniel M.D.In this heart defect, two of the chambers and two of the valves are normal in size and structure. The other two chambers and the other two valves are extremely small or may not be present at all. The main defect is an under-development of the main pumping chamber (left ventricle and main blood vessel to the body (aorta). This makes it impossible for the baby to have normal heart function. While in the mother's womb the right side of the heart can do all the work. After birth, the right side of the heart cannot perform all the work and the baby has poor color, poor heart function and in most cases will die within a few weeks of birth. No medicines can fix this defect permanently. There is a medicine which can be given to help for a while. There are two surgical approaches for treatment. One approach is to make the right side the pumping side, through a series of operations. The other is to perform a heart transplant.
 Normal Heart  |