Can you live a normal life with tetralogy of Fallot?

Conclusions: The vast majority of the patients seemed to live normal lives 20–37 years after Tetralogy of Fallot repair. Late deaths were cardiac in origin, including sudden death from arrhythmias. The number of late reoperation has been low.

How do you explain tetralogy of Fallot to parents?

Tetralogy of Fallot (fah-LO) is a congenital (present at birth) heart defect. In tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), four related heart defects change the way blood flows to the lungs and through the heart. TOF is repaired through open-heart surgery soon after birth or later in infancy.

Does tetralogy of Fallot affect growth?

The four defects caused by TOF results in short of blood in lung to get oxygen, and oxygen-poor blood effects the metabolic in body tissues, finally leads to the defects of growth and development.

Can children with tetralogy of Fallot play sports?

Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) is the most common form of cyanotic congenital defect. Adult subjects with results of repair of tetralogy of Fallot may present post-surgical consequences that limit their physical capacity and thus their ability to compete in sports.

How long do children with tetralogy of Fallot live?

What is the life expectancy of someone with tetralogy of Fallot? It is difficult to predict how long a child with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot is going to live but data suggests that the outcome is generally good up to 30-40 years after complete repair.

Is tetralogy of Fallot inherited?

Isolated tetralogy of Fallot (TF) has a multifactorial mode of inheritance in most cases, and recurrence risk rates of 2.5-3\% have been attributed to first degree relatives of an affected child. In a subgroup of patients with a strong family history, the transmission of a monogenic trait has been suspected.

Is tetralogy of Fallot hereditary?

For the majority of individuals with tetralogy of Fallot, there has been no identified genetic cause. Some individuals may have other birth defects and/or health issues, in addition to TOF, that may be part of a genetic syndrome.

Can tetralogy of Fallot be misdiagnosed?

Prenatal. While tetralogy of Fallot can be suspected prenatally, it can be easily missed or misdiagnosed; therefore, postnatal confirmation is imperative.

Is TOF genetic?

Can tetralogy of Fallot be passed down?

Although the cause isn’t always known, TOF can be inherited (passed from parent to child) or part of other genetic conditions like Down syndrome. Heart Surgery. All children with TOF will require open-heart surgery to correct the condition, although the timing of the surgery will vary based on your child’s situation.

Can tetralogy of Fallot be detected before birth?

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a congenital heart defect that can be diagnosed either before or after a baby is born.

Is Tetralogy of Fallot inherited?

What is the long-term outlook for children with Tetralogy of Fallot?

Children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot have a higher risk of heart rhythm disturbances called arrhythmias. Sometimes these may cause dizziness or fainting. Generally, the long-term outlook is good, but some children may need medicines, heart catheterization or even more surgery.

Is tetralogy of Fallot a critical congenital heart defect?

Because a baby with tetralogy of Fallot may need surgery or other procedures soon after birth, this birth defect is considered a critical congenital heart defect. Congenital means present at birth. This heart defect can cause oxygen in the blood that flows to the rest of the body to be reduced.

What follow-up do I need after tetralogy of Fallot surgery?

If you’ve had tetralogy of Fallot repaired, you’ll need regular follow-up with a cardiologist who’s had special training in congenital heart defects. You may need to take medicine before or after your operation to help your heart muscle contract or to control heart rhythm abnormalities.

Why do babies with Tetralogy of Fallot have blue skin?

This heart defect can cause oxygen in the blood that flows to the rest of the body to be reduced. Infants with tetralogy of Fallot can have a bluish-looking skin color―called cyanosis―because their blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen. At birth, infants might not have blue-looking skin,…