Is it normal after the complete repair of Tetralogy of Fallot?

Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
Updated on March 03, 2025
00:00
00:00

Tetralogy of Fallot is a serious congenital heart defect characterized by a ventricular septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, and problems with right ventricular obstruction. It is a congenital disease that can cause hypoxia throughout the body, especially as age increases, the symptoms tend to worsen. After the corrective surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot, it does not mean that the patient is completely normal. Their lifespan is still somewhat impacted. They will not be like patients with simpler congenital heart diseases such as only a ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect, who can achieve a natural lifespan. For these individuals, their lifespan is still impacted to some extent. As they age post-surgery, some complications may arise, including sudden death, and some may require a second surgery.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
55sec home-news-image

Does Tetralogy of Fallot easily lead to heart failure?

Tetralogy of Fallot often leads to symptoms of heart failure because it is a severe congenital disease. Affected children tend to present with cyanosis of the lips, impaired growth and development, and a simple echocardiography can reveal specific indicators such as aorta overriding, pulmonary stenosis, right ventricular hypertrophy, and ventricular septal defect. These children have limited lung and heart function, making them prone to increased cardiac load and symptoms of heart failure following infections or physical activity. Therefore, early surgical treatment is necessary for these children to prevent recurrent infectious diseases and heart failure, which can affect their normal growth and development. Additionally, it is crucial to enhance nutrition and exercise in their daily lives to boost their immune system. For Tetralogy of Fallot, early detection and treatment are essential.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
59sec home-news-image

Can children with Tetralogy of Fallot heal on their own?

Children with Tetralogy of Fallot cannot be cured, as this condition is a congenital disease, primarily involving vascular malformations, characterized by ventricular septal defects, overriding aorta, pulmonary hypertension, and right ventricular hypertrophy. Due to pulmonary atresia or near-atresia, leading to numerous collateral vessels, it might only present with a ventricular septal defect with shunting or mild pulmonary valve stenosis. The effectiveness of surgery for this type of Tetralogy of Fallot may not be particularly good, and the chances of a cure are very low. Therefore, for this category, early detection and surgical treatment are crucial, and it is important to enhance dietary nutrition and care in daily life, as it is prone to pulmonary infections, which can lead to serious conditions such as respiratory failure and heart failure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
51sec home-news-image

Tetralogy of Fallot surgery success rate

Tetralogy of Fallot is a common cyanotic congenital heart disease in children after the age of one. It consists of four abnormalities: ventricular septal defect, obstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract, overriding aorta, and right ventricular hypertrophy. Once Tetralogy of Fallot is diagnosed, the ultimate treatment is surgical. With the development of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, there are no specific requirements regarding the birth month or weight of the child for the surgery, so the success rate of Tetralogy of Fallot surgery is now very high. If a child has Tetralogy of Fallot, it is crucial to seek active treatment and not to give up.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
35sec home-news-image

Tetralogy of Fallot's composition and its causes of formation

Tetralogy of Fallot consists of four abnormalities. First, there is a narrowing at the right ventricular outflow, ranging from the entrance of the right ventricular infundibulum to the branches of the left and right pulmonary arteries. Second, there is a ventricular septal defect, characterized by a deficiency around the membranous part that extends towards the outflow. Third, the aorta overrides, where the base of the aorta is enlarged and rotates clockwise to the right, straddling the septal defect. Fourth, right ventricular hypertrophy, which is a secondary lesion.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Qi Feng
Pediatrics
38sec home-news-image

The reason for squatting in Tetralogy of Fallot

The reason for squatting is that when squatting, the lower limbs are bent, which reduces the amount of blood returning to the heart through the veins, thereby reducing the load on the heart. At the same time, the arteries in the lower limbs are compressed, which increases the resistance in the systemic circulation and reduces the right-to-left shunt volume, allowing temporary relief from hypoxia symptoms. Babies who cannot walk often like to be held by adults in a position that bends the lower limbs to reduce the amount of blood returning to the heart. This frequently occurs during walking and playing, often characterized by brief periods of squatting.