Tetralogy of Fallot: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Explained

Tetralogy of Fallot: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Explained

Question. Write short note on tetralogy of Fallot.

Answer. It is the commonest cyanotic congenital heart disease in children above the age of 2 years.
It is characterized by four constituents:

1. Ventricular septal defect.
2. Pulmonary stenosis
3. Overriding or dextroposed aorta
4. Right ventricular hypertrophy.

Tetralogy of Fallot: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Clinical Features Tetralogy Of Fallot.

1. The chief complaint is development of *anoxic spells. The anoxic spells are dangerous for children and can occur many times.
2. It occurs prominently after walking up or following exertion.
3. Children start crying, become dyspneic, blue than before and may loose consciousness. Convulsions may occur.
4. Frequency varies from once in a few days to numerous attcks everyday.
5. Each spell is life­threatening.

Physical signs tetralogy of Fallot.

1. Cyanosis
2. Clubbing of figer and toes
3. Growth is stunted
4. Ejection systolic murmur is present at pulmonary area.
5. ECG may show right ventricular hypertrophy
6. Second sound may show delayed splittng
7. In X­ray chest boot shaped heart is seen
8. Echocardiography shows that aorta is not juxtaposed with intraventricular septum.

Symptoms of Tetralogy of Fallot

Complications tetralogy of Fallot.

1. Syncope
2. Cerebral abscess
3. Stroke due to cerebral thrombosis
4. Subacute infective endocarditis
5. Sudden death

Treatment tetralogy of Fallot.
It is divided into two stages:
1. Management of anoxic spells
2. Defiitive treatment.

Management of anoxic spells tetralogy of Fallot.

1. Knee chest position
2. Humidifid oxygen / moist oxygen
3. Morphine: 0.1 to 0.2 mg / kg subcutaneous inj.
4. Correction of acidosis if pH < 7.1 by giving sodium bicarbonate IV
5. Propranolol 0.1 gm / kg IV during spells and then 0.5 to 1
   mg / kg 4 to 6 hourly orally.
6. Vasopressor: Methoxamine IM or IV
7. Correct anemia
8. Consider operation.

Tetralogy of Fallot Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Defiitive Treatment tetralogy of Fallot.

It is operative. Operative treatment is of two varieties, i.e.
papillative and defiitive.