Congenital Heart Disease - Specific Defects

Simple Defects

Atrial Septal Defect - ASD
A defect in the wall between the left and right atria that causes a shunt of blood inside the heart resulting in increased lung blood flow.

ASD - a illustrated description
A description of ASD, with photographs and diagrams to make understanding easier.

Coarctation of Aorta - CoA
A narrowing in the aorta at the region of the isthmus of the aorta that can cause high blood pressure, left ventricle failure and much more.

Pulmonary Stenosis - PS
Narrowing of the pulmonary valve that guards the opening to the pulmonary artery causes a strain on the right ventricle with harmful effects.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus - PDA
This abnormal persistence of a communication between the aorta and pulmonary artery results in an excessive lung blood flow.

Ventricular Septal Defect - VSD
The wall between the two ventricles has a defect in this condition resulting in blood going from the left ventricle into the right, causing more lung blood flow.

Ventricular Septal Defect
Provided by Dr. Alan Gandy a Pediatrician in Canada with information on various Pediatric disorders.

Complex Defects

Double Outlet Right Ventricle - DORV
A more complex defect caused by the aorta arising from the right ventricle, it can mimic many different conditions clinically.

Ebstein's Anomaly
A simple description of this complex cyanotic heart disease where the tricuspid valve is displaced downwards, and methods of it's treatment

Tetralogy of Fallot
If you know someone who has this complex birth defect of the heart, you can read more about it here.

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome - HLHS
Caused by a general under-development of the left sided heart structures, this severe condition is recently being treated with improving outcomes.

Single Ventricle
This is a complex of many defects that have the common feature of sharing one ventricle to support both systemic and pulmonary circulations.

Tricuspid Atresia - TA
When the tricuspid valve is imperforate from birth, there is only one functional ventricle. Treatment is by a Fontan operation.

Transposition of Great Arteries - TGA
When the aorta and pulmonary arteries arise from the "wrong" ventricles, there is a mixing of pure and impure blood with harmful effects.

Truncus Arteriosus
A complex defect where the aorta and pulmonary artery fuse together to form a single arterial trunk that leaves the heart.