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Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

From http://www.mayoclinic.org/hlhs/

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is an abnormality in which the left side of the heart (left ventricle, aortic valve and aorta) is severely underdeveloped. The condition is congenital (present at birth).

When the left-side heart structures are underdeveloped, the right side of the heart must pump blood to both the lungs and to the rest of the body. In the womb, a baby's body receives oxygen-rich blood through a communication (connection) called the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). After birth, the PDA spontaneously begins to close. An undeveloped heart cannot pump efficiently enough to support life and that is when a baby with HLHS gets very sick. Without treatment, the defect is usually fatal within the first several days of life.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

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