coarctation of the aorta?

Question

Our baby of 5 weeks has been diagnosed with the above condition. I was wondering if any of you have had children with the same? Or even yourself perhaps? If so what was the outcome - we're very worried for our little chap.
Serious answers only please!

Answer 1

Hi! My son does not haveCoartion of the Aorta but he does also have a Congenital heart Disease, His is called Tetralogy of Fallot. He is 14 months old and has already had 2 open-heart surgeries and 2 cardiac cathiterzations. He also had "stenosis" but on his Pulmonary artery instead of the Aorta. I do believe that that can be fixed through a cardiac cathiterzation which is a very simple procedure and most of the time sucessful =) If you need some 'heart' support feel free to e-mail me. Best of luck with your baby. CHD's are actually very common - they are the #1 birth defect and 1 in every 125 babies is born with some kind of CHD. Your baby will do fine =)

Answer 2

Treatment
Treatment options for coarctation of the aorta depend on your age when the condition is diagnosed and the degree to which the aorta is narrowed. Other heart defects may be repaired at the same time as aortic coarctation. Treatment approaches usually consist of surgery or a procedure called balloon angioplasty.

Surgery
There are several surgical techniques to repair aortic coarctation. Your doctor can discuss with you which type is most likely to successfully repair your condition. The options include:

Resection with end-to-end anastamosis. This method involves removing the narrowed segment of the aorta (resection) followed by connecting the two ends of the aorta together (anastamosis).
Patch aortoplasty. Your doctor may treat your coarctation by cutting across the constricted area of the aorta and then attaching a synthetic patch to widen the blood vessel. Patch aortoplasty is useful if the coarctation involves a long segment of the aorta.
Left subclavian flap angioplasty. A portion of the left subclavian artery, which delivers blood to the left arm, may be used to expand the narrowed area of the artery.
Bypass graft repair. This technique involves bypassing the narrowed area by inserting a plastic tube called a graft between the ascending and descending portions of the aorta.
Balloon angioplasty and stenting
Balloon angioplasty is an option for treating aortic coarctation or for treating re-narrowing (re-coarctation) that has recurred after surgery. During this procedure, your doctor inserts a thin flexible tube (catheter) into an artery in your groin and threads it up toward your heart. An uninflated balloon is placed through the opening of the narrowed aorta. When the balloon is inflated, the aorta widens and blood flows more easily. In some cases, a mesh-covered hollow tube called a stent is inserted to keep the constriction in the aorta open.

Medication
Medication isn't used to repair coarctation of the aorta, but may be used to control blood pressure before surgery. Although repairing aortic coarctation improves blood pressure, many people will still need to take medication even after a successful surgery. Babies with severe coarctation of the aorta may receive a drug called prostaglandin E. This drug helps keeps the ductus arteriosis open, providing a bypass for blood flow around the constriction, until the coarctation is repaired.

After treatment
The most common long-term complication of coarctation of the aorta is high blood pressure. Although your blood pressure usually lowers after the aortic coarctation has been repaired, it may still remain higher than normal. Occasionally, the segment of the aorta that has been repaired will become weak and bulge (aortic aneurysm) and may eventually rupture. In some cases, the coarctation will recur, possibly even years after treatment.

Answer 3

Coarctation of the aorta — or aortic coarctation — is a narrowing of the aorta, the large blood vessel that branches off your heart and delivers oxygen-rich blood to your body. When this vascular defect occurs, your heart must pump harder to force blood through the constricted segment of your aorta.

Coarctation of the aorta is a condition that's generally present at birth (congenital). It's relatively common, accounting for 5 percent to 10 percent of all congenital heart conditions, and often occurs along with other heart defects. Coarctation of the aorta may range from mild to severe. It usually requires treatment, and there are a number of options to repair the constriction. While treatment for coarctation of the aorta is usually successful, it's a condition that requires careful follow-up through infancy and into adulthood;

Answer 4

Coarctation of the aorta restoration * Coarctation of the aorta takes position at the same time as component to the aorta has a very narrow section, like in an hourglass timer. to fix this disorder, an incision is often made on the left fringe of the chest, between the ribs. * the most straightforward thanks to fix it truly is to diminish the narrow section and make it better with a patch made up of Gore-tex, an man made textile. * yet otherwise to fix this problem is to get rid of the narrow component to the aorta and stitch the perfect ends mutually. this would typically be carried out in older little ones. * a third thanks to fix this problem is termed a subclavian flap. First, an incision is made contained in the narrow component to the aorta. Then, a patch is taken from the left subclavian artery (the artery to the arm) to amplify the narrow component to the aorta. * A fourth thanks to fix the mission is to connect a tube to the conventional sections of the aorta, on both fringe of the narrow section. Blood flows by the tube and bypasses the narrow section.

Answer 5

i don't have children but am a children's nurse. I looked after babies with this condition as a student. These babies had surgery to correct the condition and it was usually quite straight forward. The baby spends a short time in special/intensive care unit following the operation until they can easily breathe without assistance of any machines. Even when on the ward the baby may have a small monitor attached for a few days to record the heart and breathing pattern. Have you spoken to a cardiologist yet? They should be able to put you at ease, tell you what to expect, any risks involved etc. If your baby is struggling to breathe or turns a bluish colour at all or appears to lose muscle tone, you should bring him to the hospital - if he is not there at present. I empathise with you and I hope all goes well for your baby. I am sure it will. Best of luck.

Answer 6

Surgery can cure it. But surgery is not without complications. It depends on the site on coarctation... which is simply (stenosis).

Best wishes

Answer 7

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