Transposition of Great Vessels
Birth Defects and Genetic Disorders
What is it?
Transposition of Great Vessels is a heart defect where the oxygen in blood that is pumped from the heart to the rest of the body is decreased. This means that the blood goes into the lungs, picks up oxygen, returns to the heart, and flows back into the lungs without ever reaching the body itself. Because of this the the blood never picks up oxygen in the lungs.
Symptoms
- Blueness of the skin
- Clubbing of the fingers and toes
- Poor feeding
- shortness of breath
There's A Cure
Is Transposition of Great Vessels Genetic?
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001568.htm
This disease is genetic. This means that both parents carry the gene in the disease and it is passed on from both the parents to the baby. Symptoms can appear both at and a short time after birth, The range of symptoms also depends on the type and size of the heart defect and how much oxygen moves through the body's general blood flow. In order to try and prevent your baby from getting this disease a mother should be immunized against rubella if they are not already immune. They should also eat well, avoid alcohol, and controlling diabetes both before and during pregnancy.
How will you know?
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001568.htm
Treatment Options
Upon discovering that your baby has this disease a medicine called prostaglandin will be received through an IV. This will allow the mixing of the two blood circulations by helping to keep ductus arteriosus open. To permanently correct the problem the baby will undergo surgery which is called an arterial switch procedure. This makes it so the great arteries are switched back to their normal position. After the surgery it is possible that the baby still has a few symptoms but after a few weeks the baby can go on a live a normal life.