Ventricular septal defect

Description

Ventricular septal defects account for up to 40% of all congenital cardiac malformations. The diagnosis encompasses a broad range of anomalies, including isolated defects and those associated with other congenital cardiac malformations. Presentation, symptoms, natural history, and management of ventricular septal defects depend on size and anatomical associations of the anomaly, patient’s age, and local diagnostic and interventional expertise. Because congenital ventricular septal defects are of different sizes and locations, their clinical presentation, natural history, and treatment vary greatly. To understand the ways in which these different defects affect cardiovascular hemodynamics and performance, clinicians must have knowledge of congenital and acquired heart disease. Management of this lesion has changed dramatically in the last 50 years. Catheter-based therapy for VSD closure, now in brisk phase, is another step in the evolution of treatment for this disorder. In this presentation, we describe the anatomy, pathophysiology and treatment  of ventricular septal defect.