Prenatal Diagnosis of Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia

Tetralogy of Fallot involves an abnormal embryological development in which an unequal conotruncal division results in a small pulmonary artery and a great aortic artery. In its most severe form, the infundibulum of the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery can be atretic with the anomaly commonly referred to as pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect. Reported here is a case of prenatal diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia. The characteristic ultrasonographic findings included a small pulmonary artery, a large aorta, and a ventricular septal defect. The search for an atretic pulmonary valve and a ductus arteriosus with reversed blood flow was emphasized in the presence of asymmetrically dilated fetal heart. After birth, the newborn received single-stage total correction for the tetralogy of Fallot and was discharged a month later in stable condition. In this case report, the neonatal angiogram is added for confirming the prenatal diagnosis, which is of value in teaching fetal echocardiography to novice practitioners. We believe a prenatal diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot can improve neonatal outcome. [J Chin Med Assoc 2008;71(5):262–266]

Key Words:  prenatal diagnosis , pulmonary atresia , tetralogy of Fallot

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