09/05/2019
(HLHS) occurs in about 1% of all congenital heart defect cases. The left ventricle (LV) is hypoplastic, meaning it is under-developed or not functioning. Essentially, the LV is not functional because the valves leading into and out of the LV (the mitral and aortic valves) are severely stenosed (tight), or atretic, meaning impassable or not allowing any blood flow. In addition, the main route out of the left ventricle, the aorta, is also hypoplastic. With , a newborn baby may initially appear to be well during the first hours or even days of life. However, as the baby breathes on its own, the pressure in its lungs begins to decrease. Also, the patent ductus arteriosus, a tiny vessel between the aorta and pulmonary artery, will begin to close after birth. Then, the baby will appear sicker, breathing quickly, not feeding, showing a faster heartbeat and congested lungs. HLHS is considered a critical congenital heart defect.
