Truncus Arteriosus Overview
Learn About Truncus Arteriosus
Truncus arteriosus is a rare type of heart disease in which a single blood vessel (truncus arteriosus) comes out of the right and left ventricles, instead of the normal 2 vessels (pulmonary artery and aorta). It is present at birth (congenital heart disease).
There are different types of truncus arteriosus.
Truncus
In normal circulation, the pulmonary artery comes out of the right ventricle and the aorta comes out of the left ventricle, which are separate from each other.
With truncus arteriosus, a single artery comes out of the ventricles. There is most often also a large hole between the 2 ventricles (ventricular septal defect). As a result, the blue (without oxygen) and red (oxygen-rich) blood mix.
Some of this mixed blood goes to the lungs, and some goes to the rest of the body. Often, more blood than usual ends up going to the lungs.
If this condition is not treated, two problems occur:
- Too much blood circulation in the lungs may cause extra fluid to build up in and around them. This makes it hard to breathe.
- If left untreated and more than normal blood flows to the lungs for a long time, the blood vessels to the lungs become permanently damaged. Over time, it becomes very hard for the heart to force blood through them. This is called pulmonary hypertension, which can be life threatening.
Symptoms include:
- Bluish color to the skin (cyanosis) due to low oxygen level in the blood
- Delayed growth or growth failure
- Fatigue
- Lethargy
- Poor feeding
- Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Widening of the finger tips (clubbing)
Surgery is needed to treat this condition. The surgery creates 2 separate arteries.
In most cases, the truncal vessel is kept as the new aorta. A new pulmonary artery is created using tissue from another source or using a man-made tube. The branch pulmonary arteries are sewn to this new artery. The hole between the ventricles is closed.
North Shore - Lij Medical PC
Ira Parness is a Pediatric Cardiologist and a Pediatrics provider in Manhasset, New York. Dr. Parness and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Truncus Arteriosus. His top areas of expertise are Subpulmonary Stenosis, Transposition of the Great Arteries, Tetralogy of Fallot, and Tricuspid Atresia.
Simone Jhaveri is a Pediatric Cardiologist and a Pediatrics provider in New Hyde Park, New York. Dr. Jhaveri has been practicing medicine for over 14 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Truncus Arteriosus. Her top areas of expertise are Atrial Myxoma, Aberrant Subclavian Artery, Cor Pulmonale, and Pulmonary Atresia.
North Shore - Lij Medical PC
Hari Rajagopal is a Pediatric Cardiologist and a Pediatrics provider in New Hyde Park, New York. Dr. Rajagopal and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Truncus Arteriosus. His top areas of expertise are Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), Tetralogy of Fallot, Aberrant Subclavian Artery, and Truncus Arteriosus.
Complete repair most often provides good results. Another procedure may be needed as the child grows, because the rebuilt pulmonary artery that uses tissue from another source will not grow with the child.
Untreated cases of truncus arteriosus result in death, often during the first year of life.
Complications may include:
- Heart failure
- High blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)
Contact your health care provider if your infant or child:
- Appears lethargic
- Appears overly tired or mildly short of breath
- Does not eat well
- Does not seem to be growing or developing normally
If the skin, lips, or nail beds look blue or if the child seems to be very short of breath, take the child to the emergency room or have the child examined promptly.
There is no known prevention. Early treatment can often prevent serious complications.
Women who plan to become pregnant should be immunized against rubella if they are not already immune. Rubella infection in a pregnant woman can cause congenital heart disease.
Women who are pregnant should get good prenatal care:
- Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs during pregnancy.
- Tell your provider that you are pregnant before taking any new medicines.
- Have a blood test early in your pregnancy to see if you are immune to rubella. If you are not immune, avoid any possible exposure to rubella and get vaccinated right after delivery.
- Pregnant women who have diabetes should try to get good control over their blood sugar level.
Some inherited factors may play a role in congenital heart disease. Many family members may be affected. If you are planning to get pregnant, talk to your provider about screening for genetic diseases.
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a specific type of exercise training (high intensity interval training) can improve exercise capacity in people with a congenital heart defect that required the creation of a new connection between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery. This includes people with a truncus arteriosus, pulmonary atresia with a ventricular septal defect or severe tetr...
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: October 23, 2023
Published By: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Valente AM, Dorfman AL, Babu-Narayan SV, Kreiger EV. Congenital heart disease in the adolescent and adult. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 82.
Well A, Fraser CD. Congenital heart disease. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 59.