Learn About Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Pulmonic stenosis is a heart valve disorder that involves the pulmonary valve.
This is the valve separating the right ventricle (one of the chambers in the heart) and the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery carries oxygen-poor blood to the lungs.
Stenosis, or narrowing, occurs when the valve cannot open wide enough. As a result, blood flows less easily to the lungs.
Valvular pulmonary stenosis; Heart valve pulmonary stenosis; Pulmonary stenosis; Stenosis - pulmonary valve; Balloon valvuloplasty - pulmonary
Narrowing of the pulmonary valve is most often present at birth (congenital). It is caused by a problem that occurs as the baby develops in the womb before birth. The cause is unknown, but genes may play a role.
Narrowing that occurs in the valve itself is called valvular pulmonic stenosis. There may also be narrowing just before or after the valve.
The defect may occur alone or with other heart defects that are present at birth. The condition can be mild or severe.
Pulmonic stenosis is a rare disorder. In some cases, the problem runs in families.
Many cases of pulmonic stenosis are mild and do not cause symptoms. The problem is most often found in infants when a heart murmur is heard during a routine heart exam.
When the valve narrowing (stenosis) is moderate to severe, the symptoms include:
- Abdominal distention
- Bluish color to the skin (cyanosis) in some people
- Poor appetite
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Poor weight gain or failure to thrive in infants with a severe blockage
- Shortness of breath
- Sudden death
Symptoms may get worse with exercise or activity.
Sometimes, treatment may not be needed if the disorder is mild.
When there are also other heart defects, medicines may be used to:
- Help blood flow through the heart (prostaglandins)
- Help the heart beat stronger
- Prevent clots (blood thinners)
- Remove excess fluid (water pills)
- Treat abnormal heartbeats and rhythms
Percutaneous balloon pulmonary dilation (valvuloplasty) may be performed when no other heart defects are present.
- This procedure is done through an artery in the groin.
- The doctor sends a flexible tube (catheter) with a balloon attached to the end up to the heart. Special x-rays are used to help guide the catheter.
- The balloon stretches the opening of the valve.
Some people may need heart surgery to repair or replace the pulmonary valve. The new valve can be made from different materials. If the valve cannot be repaired or replaced, other procedures may be needed.
Britton Keeshan is a Pediatric Cardiologist and a Cardiologist in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Keeshan and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Pulmonary Valve Stenosis. His top areas of expertise are Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), Double Discordia, Patent Foramen Ovale, Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), and Heart Transplant.
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Claire Boccia-Liang is a Cardiologist in Morristown, New Jersey. Dr. Boccia-Liang and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Pulmonary Valve Stenosis. Her top areas of expertise are Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return, Eisenmenger Syndrome, Cardiomyopathy, and Arrhythmias.
Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York
Marlon Rosenbaum is a Cardiologist in New York, New York. Dr. Rosenbaum and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Pulmonary Valve Stenosis. His top areas of expertise are Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), Pulmonary Valve Stenosis, Tetralogy of Fallot, Heart Transplant, and Cardiac Ablation.
People with mild disease rarely get worse. However, those with moderate to severe disease will get worse. The outcome is often very good when surgery or balloon dilation is successful. Other congenital heart defects may be a factor in the outlook.
Most often, the new valves can last for decades. However, some will wear out and need to be replaced.
Complications may include:
- Abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias)
- Death
- Heart failure and enlargement of the right side of the heart
- Leaking of blood back into the right ventricle (pulmonary valve regurgitation) after repair
Contact your provider if:
- You have symptoms of pulmonary valve stenosis.
- You have been treated or have untreated pulmonary valve stenosis and have developed swelling (of the ankles, legs, or abdomen), difficulty breathing, or other new symptoms.
Summary: Real-world evidence, retrospective and prospective, non-randomized, multicenter observational study of VenusP-ValveTM System in treating moderate or greater pulmonary regurgitation with/without pulmonary stenosis in patients with native right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT).
Summary: The purpose of this two-way cohort study was to explore whether an integrated prenatal and postnatal treatment model for neonates with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) could be effective in avoiding preoperative morbidities, creating an ideal timing for surgery, thereby reducing postoperative in-hospital mortality, and improving surgical prognosis compared with the traditional model of car...
Published Date: May 13, 2024
Published By: Mary C. Mancini, MD, PhD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Shreveport, LA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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