Diagnosis and management of cyanotic congenital heart disease: part II.

In this review, the clinical features and management of less commonly encountered cyanotic cardiac lesions are reviewed. Pathophysiology, clinical features, laboratory studies and management are discussed. The clinical and non-invasive laboratory features of these cardiac defects are sufficiently characteristic for the diagnosis and invasive cardiac catheterization and angiographic studies are not routinely required. Such studies may be needed either to define features that could not be clearly defined by non-invasive studies or prior to performing trans-catheter interventions. Surgical correction or effective palliation is possible at relatively low risk. But, residual defects, some requiring repeat catheter or surgical intervention, may be seen in a significant percentage of patients and consequently, continued follow-up after surgery is recommended.

Diagnosis and management of acyanotic heart disease: part II -- left-to-right shunt lesions.

In this review, the clinical features and management of most commonly encountered acyanotic, left-to-right shunt lesions are discussed. Patients with small defects, especially in childhood, are usually asymptomatic while moderate to large defects in infancy may present with symptoms. Hyperdynamic precordium, widely split and fixed second heart sound, ejection systolic murmur at the left upper sternal border and a mid-diastolic flow rumble at the left lower sternal border are present in atrial septal defects, holosystolic murmur at the left lower border is characteristic for a ventricular septal defect whereas a continuous murmur at the left upper sternal border is distinctive for patent ductus arteriosus. Clinical diagnosis is not usually difficult and the diagnosis can be confirmed and quantitated by non-invasive echocardiographic studies. Whereas surgical intervention was used in the past, transcatheter methods are increasingly used for closure of atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus. Small ventricular septal defects may not need to be closed whereas medium and large defects may require surgical closure. Transcatheter closure of both muscular and membranous ventricular septal defects is feasible by transcatheter methodology, but these techniques are experimental at the time of this writing.

Diagnosis and management of acyanotic heart disease: part I -- obstructive lesions.

In this review, the clinical features and management of most commonly encountered acyanotic obstructive cardiac lesions are discussed. Mild lesions, especially in children are usually asymptomatic while neonates and infants may present with symptoms. Ejection systolic murmurs in patients with pulmonic and aortic stenosis and decreased femoral pulses and blood pressure difference (>20 mmHg) between arms and leg in patients with aortic coarctation are usually seen. Clinical diagnosis is not difficult and the diagnosis can be confirmed and quantitated by non-invasive echocardiographic studies. Whereas surgical intervention was used in the past, balloon dilatation appears to be effective in the treatment of these lesions.