Can coarctation be detected before birth?

Can coarctation be detected before birth?

Diagnosis. Coarctation of the aorta can be suspected during a routine prenatal ultrasound or after a fetal echocardiogram (focused ultrasound of the fetal heart performed by a fetal cardiologist).

How do you assess coarctation of the aorta in a newborn?

The cardiologist might order an echocardiogram — a test that uses sound waves to create a picture of the heart and its circulation — and other tests that produce images of the heart, like a chest X-ray, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test, or a computerized tomography (CT) scan.

What is coarctation of the aorta in infants?

What is Coarctation of the Aorta? Coarctation of the aorta is a birth defect in which a part of the aorta is narrower than usual. If the narrowing is severe enough and if it is not diagnosed, the baby may have serious problems and may need surgery or other procedures soon after birth.

What is a coarctation and the signs and symptoms of it?

What are the signs and symptoms of coarctation of the aorta?

• Labored or rapid breathing.
• Weak femoral artery pulse (taken in the groin area)
• Heavy sweating.
• Poor growth.
• Pale or gray appearance.
• Heart murmur: extra heart sound heard when the doctor listens with a stethoscope.

How long can you live with coarctation?

Individuals with coarctation of the aorta have historically had poor long-term out- comes with a mean life expectancy of 35 years. Natural history studies demon- strated 90% of individuals dying before age 50 years.

What age does coarctation of aorta present?

It is most often diagnosed in children or adults under age 40. People who have this problem with their aorta may also have a weak area in the wall of blood vessels in their brain. This weakness causes the blood vessel to bulge or balloon out. This is known as a berry aneurysm.

How is coarctation of aorta diagnosed?

Coarctation of the aorta is usually diagnosed by echocardiogram (ultrasound pictures of the heart). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging), cardiac CT (computerized tomography scan), and cardiac catheterization angiography also show aortic narrowing.

What causes a coarctation?

Causes. The exact cause of coarctation of the aorta is unknown. It results from abnormalities in development of the aorta prior to birth. Aortic coarctation is more common in people with certain genetic disorders, such as Turner syndrome.

How do you test for coarctation?

Tests to confirm a diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta may include:

1. Echocardiogram.
2. Electrocardiogram (ECG).
3. Chest X-ray.
4. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
5. Computerized tomography (CT) scan.
6. CT angiogram.
7. Cardiac catheterization.

What is coarctation repair?

Coarctation of the aorta is an abnormal narrowing of the aorta. The aorta is the large blood vessel that exits the heart and supplies the body with oxygen-rich blood. Transcatheter repair is a type of procedure that can treat the abnormal narrowing of the aorta without the need for open heart surgery.

How serious is coarctation of the aorta?

If the coarctation of the aorta is severe, your heart might not be able to pump enough blood to your other organs. This can cause heart damage and may lead to kidney failure or other organ failure. Complications are also possible after treatment for coarctation of the aorta.