Truncus Arteriosus

Nancy McDaniel M.D.

The heart in this defect has four chambers but only three valves.

The defect is primarily a hole between the pumping chambers (ventricular septal defect) and only one big vessel leaving the heart. The big vessel is called a truncus. Blood goes from the truncus both to the body and to the lung arteries. Sometimes there is too much blood flow going to the lungs and sometimes there is too little.

Surgery can be performed to close the hole and separate the blood flow going to the lungs and the body. Truncus arteriosus sometimes happens in children with genetic disease or abnormal chromosomes.

1. Pulmonary arteries arise from aorta
2. Truncal valve, occasionally quadracuspid, stenotic and or insufficient. Overrides the ventricular septal defect
3. Ventricular septal defect, large

Normal Heart