Truncus Arteriosus Repair in Turkey
Truncus arteriosus (TA) is a congenital heart defect in which a common arterial trunk supplies systemic, pulmonary and coronary circulation. Associated cardiac anomalies are common.
The surgical repair of truncus arteriosus requires the use of heart-lung bypass machine support. It involves three major components:
- Separating the pulmonary arteries from the main truncus (the truncus will remain as the first part of the aorta)
- Closure of the ventricular septal defect using a patch
- Creating a connection between the right ventricle and the pulmonary arteries using a conduit, usually a homograft pulmonary artery.
Currently more than 95 percent of children survive repair of truncus arteriosus. As the child grows, he or she will be followed by a cardiologist. Recommendation for surgery to replace the right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit with a larger one is usually made before any symptoms would be evident.
