Pulmonary Stenosis

Description

Pulmonary stenosis is a condition characterized by obstruction to blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery. The obstruction can be caused either by potential narrowing due to thickened muscle of right ventricle below the pulmonary valve, stenosis of the valve itself, or stenosis of the pulmonary artery above the valve. The most common form of pulmonary stenosis is obstruction at the valve itself, referred to as pulmonary valvular stenosis. Pulmonary valve lesions are most often congenital, and only rarely do acquired disorders such as carcinoid and rheumatic fever affect the pulmonary valve. Relieving the pulmonary stenosis can be done either by surgical approach or by balloon valvotomy.