How septal holes are caused in the heart; what is the treatment?

In a normal human heart the left side of the heart is completely separated from the right side by means of a partition called Septum. In abnormal conditions holes appear in this septum leading to complications such as mixing of the venous blood with the oxygenated blood.

Most of the septal defects are congenital and usually occur from the child hood itself. But sometimes septal holes may be caused due to rheumatic fever also. The congenital defect is related to the disorder of embryonic development during 5th to 8th week in the uterus of the mother.

Congenital heart diseases of the septum may be classified into Acyanotic and Cyanotic. In acyanotic defects there is generally no total mix up of venous blood with arterial blood while it is so in cyanotic defects. The following are some of the diseases of septal holes –

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1. Ventricular septal defect.

2. Artial septal defect.

3. Patent ductus arteriosus.

4. Tetralogy of Fallot.

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1. Ventricular septal defect:

These are generally small openings or holes present in the interventricular septum. If the hole is small it closes spontaneoulsy by 3 years of age of the child. If the defect is larger more blood passes from left to right; thus burdening the right ventricle and in­creasing pulmonary circulation. Children with this defect get tired soon. Defects can be diagnosed by systolic murmur (heart murmur). The defect can be closed by putting a dacron patch under surgery.

2. Atrial septal defect:

This results from a defeciency in the interartial septum. Due to the presence of the hole, blood passes from left atrium to right atrium increasing the blood flow in right side of the heart. Children suffering from this get tired and contact frequent respiratory infections. The defect can be treated by a dacron or pericardial patch under surgical procedure.

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3. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA):

In this disease, the duct connecting aorta to pulmonary artery remains open which otherwise should be closed within 48 hours of birth. As a result of this blood, flow to the lungs is increased and left ventircle has to exert to pump extra blood. Premature babies have increased incidence of PDA.

4. Tetralogy of Fallot:

This is a cynatoic heart defect. As has already been said in cynatoic heart disease there is mixture of venous blood with arte­rial blood. As a result arterial oxygen saturation is reduced and tissues get less oxygen. Children suffering from this disease become blue during feed­ing and defaecation. This disease is also called a Blue hole disease.