Causes, symptoms and treatment of Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a defect occurring in newborns. It is a congenital defect that creates a hole in the ventricular septum separating the two ventricles or the lower chambers. Due to this defect, oxygenated and deoxygenated blood gets mixed causing complications in the baby. The heart also feels stress as it tries to meet the oxygen demand of an individual. The symptoms depend on the size of the VSD. Small size holes may not cause any significant problem but the medium and larger ones need proper medical attention and surgical procedure in a heart hospital in India. Causes of VSD It generally occurs when the baby inside a mother’s womb forms its organs. The heart is not properly formed causing a defect in the ventral septum. The exact cause is not known to the doctors and researchers clearly. It is expected that VSD occurs when there is a genetic defect or from environmental factors influencing fetal development. There is a possibility of VSD developing in the later years due to a heart attack o from cardiac procedures done recently. Symptoms of VSD According to the cardiologists of Max Healthcare, the heart hospital in India, it shows the following symptoms. ●Difficulty breathing normallyrn●Increased frequency of breathingrn●Skin color becomes palern●Frequent occurrence of respiratory infectionsrn●Formation of bluish pigment in the skin near fingernails and lips Babies suffering from VSD will struggle to gain weight and may suffer from profuse perspiration during feeding. If any parent witnesses these symptoms, it is necessary to bring the baby under medical supervision in a cardiology specialty hospital. Diagnosis of VSD A cardiologist will first check the heart functioning of the toddler by using a stethoscope. In order to confirm the diagnosis, he will recommend performing an echocardiogram. In some cases, a trans-esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is performed by inserting a very thin tube with an ultrasound head attached to it. This device will detect any hole in the ventricular septum by getting closer to the heart via the esophagus. An MRI can also reveal the presence of a defect in the septum. Treatment of VSD Depending on the fault in the ventricular septum, the treatment is formulated. If the defect is small, the doctors will recommend keeping the baby under supervision. In some cases, the defect automatically corrects itself under proper care and medical supervision. The improving condition will be assured via proper checkup and monitoring. When the defect is medium or big, the only way to get rid of it is surgery. An incision in the chest will be done to patch or stitch the hole in the ventricular septum. It can also be done using a catheter. It is introduced via a blood vessel preferably in the groin region. Verdict When the aforementioned symptoms are witnessed, it is necessary to bring the patient to a specialty care unit. The leading heart hospital in India has a dedicated unit to treat VSD and deliver the best results.