The Tetralogy of Fallot is a disease involving four separate heart defects that exist when a baby is born. These defects change the heart’s structure so that the blood leaving the heart to be carried to the rest of the body is not filled with enough oxygen. As a result, babies born with the Tetralogy of Fallot typically have a blue tint to their skin and under their fingernails. Most of the time, the Tetralogy of Fallot is diagnosed shortly after birth. Rarely the condition is not diagnosed until a child is older. No matter when it’s diagnosed, the Tetralogy of Fallot is a condition someone is born with. It is not common, and it requires surgery and regular monitoring.
Common symptoms include;
Infants and newborns also experience something called Tet spells. A Tet spell occurs when oxygen levels in the blood dip quickly. Tet spells usually look like a deepening of the blue colour of the skin and possibly fainting.
These occur most commonly in young infants. As children get older, they develop reflexive mechanisms to deal with the symptoms brought on by a Tet spell.
The Tetralogy of Fallot is caused by abnormal development of the heart while the baby is still a foetus with no apparent cause.
The four defects that make up the Tetralogy of Fallot are:
Risk factors include contracting a virus during pregnancy, drinking alcohol and not following diet and health guidelines during pregnancy, a mother above 40 years, a parent with Tetralogy of Fallot, and DiGeorge syndrome or Down syndrome in the baby.
Tetralogy of Fallot is usually diagnosed as soon as a baby is born.
Some tests a doctor may use to confirm the diagnosis include:
Complications tend to be long-term and can include leakage of blood through the pulmonary valve, irregular heart rhythms, holes in the heart that leak or need to be patched again, one or both ventricles not working well, heart disease, and sudden death due to heart-related issues.
Any baby with Tetralogy of Fallot will need open heart surgery to correct the defects. A doctor will advise you when the best time is for your child’s surgery based on their current condition. Some children take medication to manage the symptoms until surgery.
Your doctor may also discuss the option to have a temporary surgery before having complete open heart surgery.
Additional surgeries may be needed in the future as well as medications to manage any heart issues. Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot will need regular check-ups with their doctor for the rest of their life.