https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/wards-and-departments/departments/clinical-specialties/cardiac-infant-home-monitoring-programme-information-for-parents-and-visitors/conditions-monitored-by-the-cardiac-infant-home-monitoring-team/
Conditions monitored by the Cardiac Infant Home Monitoring team
The Cardiac Infant Home Monitoring team at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) looks after children diagnosed with the following conditions:
Please note, this list is not exhaustive and the team also cares for patients heart conditions which may not be listed below.
Single Ventricle Circulation & shunt-dependent physiology
Single ventricle circulation (or 'functionally univentricular heart') is the term used to describe a number of congenital heart defects whose common feature is the lack of two fully-developed pumping chambers (ventricles).
Shunt-dependent physiology describes certain heart conditions that require a 'shunt' or 'tube' to direct more blood to the lungs. We look after children with single ventricle circulation between their stage 1 and stage 2 surgeries.
For more information, please see the Single Ventricle Service team.
Visit the British Heart Foundation website to download the single ventricle circulation factsheet.
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
Tetralogy of Fallot is a group of four structural abnormalities within the heart that occur together. These are:
- pulmonary stenosis
- ventricular septal defect
- over-riding aorta
- thick right ventricle
This can result in cyanotic (blue) spells. We look after children with this condition prior to their operation.
Visit the British Heart Foundation website to download the Tetralogy of Fallot factsheet.
Conditions with high pulmonary blood flow
The following conditions result in too much blood flow to the lungs, which can cause symptoms of heart failure:
Large Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
A ventricular septal defect means that there is a hole between the lower pumping chambers (ventricles) in the heart.
The hole allows blood to flow from the left side of the heart to the right, increasing the pressure of the blood travelling to the lungs and making the heart work harder.
Visit the British Heart Foundation website to download the Large ventricular septal defect factsheet.
Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD)
An atrioventricular septal defect results in a is a large hole between the upper filling chambers (atria) and the lower pumping chambers (ventricles) of the heart. There is also only one valve between the atria and ventricles instead of two.
Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV)
Double outlet right ventricle is a condition in which the aorta (main artery) and the pulmonary artery (lung artery) are connected either completely or partially to the right ventricle (the lower chamber of the heart). There is also a hole between the lower chambers of the heart, which is known as a ventricular septal defect (VSD).