About the disease
Structural changes occurring in the heart that are uncharacteristic for a healthy organ are indicative of a heart defect. The changes can occur in both embryonic and postembryonic human development. They can affect the great vessels, the "muscle pump" itself, or arise simultaneously in different places.
There are various classifications of structural and functional disorders, including congenital and acquired heart defects. The first ones appear during intrauterine development, while the second ones occur after birth. The fetal heart is laid between 3-8 weeks of pregnancy.
There are the following phases in the development of congenital heart defects in children:
- There are almost no symptoms at the initial adaptation stage. There is a decompensation of the heart.
- In the second phase, the child feels better.
- The onset of the inevitable third stage is accompanied by myocardial dystrophy.
The treatment of congenital heart defects abroad helps some young patients. Conservative therapy is based on the symptoms of the disease, while the prevention makes only the initial steps.
Symptoms
- Shortness of breath.
- Cyanosis.
- Dysfunction of the digestive system.
- Disorders of the nervous system.
- Stunted growth and delayed development.
Diagnosis
- As of today, congenital heart defects can be detected during prenatal diagnostics. However, prenatal diagnostics does not warrant abortion. It is most likely designed to provide optimal postpartum medical care for the baby, because it is much more difficult to diagnose a defect after the baby has been born.
- Many congenital heart defects cause loud heart murmurs, which can be heard through a stethoscope.
- The doctor can also detect abnormalities in the heart rhythm and determine the size and location of the defect with the help of ECG.
Types of treatment
- All invasive heart surgeries have the same goal – the correction of the heart defect. Surgery is mainly aimed at normalizing blood supply and pumping blood throughout the body. During this operation, blood with low oxygen levels is directed to the arteries, where it is enriched with oxygen. This surgery also has a healing effect on the heart rate and thus prolongs the patient's life.
- Surgical treatment using a heart-lung machine is a state-of-the-art type of surgery, which is successfully used in Germany.
- In severe cases of heart defects, transposition of blood vessels is used. This surgery is usually performed immediately, when the baby is born. Without transposition, newborns with heart disease die within a few days of birth. During surgery, surgeons detach the aorta and pulmonary artery, after which move them to the desired location.
The cost of the operation differs depending on the type of surgery and the hospital you choose. The cost of surgical treatment is from 17,000 to 29,000 EUR.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Farrukh Ahmed
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