Truncus arteriosus
Alternative Names
TruncusSymptoms
- Heart failure
- Lethargy
- Poor feeding
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
- Fatigue
- Cyanosis (blue discoloration of skin)
- Delayed growth or growth failure
- Broadening of the finger tips (clubbing)
Exams and Tests
The cardiologist or pediatrician usually hears a murmur when listening to the heart with a stethoscope.
- ECG shows signs of enlargement of the heart (ventricular hypertrophy).
- X-ray of the chest shows heart enlargement and fluid-filled lungs.
- Echocardiogram shows a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and a single truncal artery -- definitive diagnosis.
- Rarely, a heart catheterization is necessary to help with the diagnosis or planning of a treatment strategy.
- MRI of the heart.
References
Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 8th ed. St. Louis, Mo; WB Saunders; 2007.
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