Tetralogy of Fallot

It is a hole between the right and left pumping chambers of the heart.

It is the narrowing of the pulmonary valve opening which prevents the outflow of blood from the right ventricles.

The major blood vessel from the heart to the body connects to the heart a bit further to the right than normal.

The right-sided pumping chamber is thicker than normal because it’s pumping blood at a higher-than-normal pressure.

The pulmonary valve is widened or replaced through surgery. This improves the blood flow to the lungs. The remaining defects – ventricular septal, overriding aorta, and right ventricular hypertrophy are also fixed by repairs that help prevent low-oxygen blood from flowing into the aorta.

This is a temporary measure done in cases where the baby is too small or weak to undergo complete surgery. A secondary route is created by placing a small tube called a shunt between a large artery and the pulmonary artery. The full repair is done later when the baby is strong enough.