Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is a problem where the aorta has an absent portion. This keeps the blood from reaching the lower body because the aorta is “interrupted." The absent portion can be anywhere along the top curved part of the aorta. A baby born with IAA may appear okay until the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closes after birth. The PDA can provide blood flow to the lower body until it naturally closes within a few hours to days after birth. At that time, no blood will reach the lower body and the infant will go into shock, with no blood reaching the legs, kidneys and intestine.

The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel that connects the aorta and the pulmonary artery in the fetus. When the blood vessel does not close after birth as it should, the problem is called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Left untreated, PDA can cause damage to the blood vessels in the lungs, called pulmonary hypertension. Infants and children may have no symptoms other than a heart murmur. If the PDA is large and allows a lot of blood to flow from the aorta to the lungs, the child may have symptoms of congestive heart failure.

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) is a heart defect where all (total) of the pulmonary veins do not connect to the left atrium. The pulmonary veins are four blood vessels that bring blood from the lungs to the left atrium (upper chamber) of the heart. Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) is a heart defect where one or more of a child’s pulmonary veins do not connect normally to the left atrium. When TAPVR or PAPVR occurs, the veins are re-directed to another blood vessel that eventually connects to the heart.

Transposition of the great arteries (TGA), also known as transposition of the great vessels (TGV), is a congenital heart defect where the aorta and the pulmonary artery are connected to the wrong ventricle, opposite of a normal heart.  With these arteries reversed, blood circulates in an abnormal direction through the heart. The oxygen-poor blood returns to the right atrium from the body, passes into the right ventricle, and then goes into the aorta and back to the body.

Ablation is a minimally invasive treatment option for a heart rhythm problem that causes the heart to beat irregularly. Ablation eliminates the abnormal tissue that causes the irregular heart rhythm. An Inova pediatric electrophysiologist guides a catheter to the heart and locates the tissue to be treated. Radiofrequency energy (heat generated from high frequency radiowaves) passes through the catheter to the precise target area and destroys the tissue causing the irregularity.

Aortic stenosis is a condition when the leaflets that make up the aortic valve do not separate fully, causing a blockage of blood flow to the body. This can be a little blockage (mild) or it can be a large blockage (severe). This blockage increases the pumping work of the left ventricle. It may lessen the amount of blood that goes out of the ventricle (lower left chamber) to the body through the aortic valve. Aortic stenosis can occur on its own, or as part of a group of abnormalities that together effect the left side of the heart.

Aortopulmonary window Is a congenital heart defect present at birth in which there is a hole between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. This allows the red blood in the aorta to flow into the pulmonary artery. The extra blood floods the lungs causing symptoms of congestive heart failure. If left unrepaired, the lung's blood vessels become damaged. Surgery is needed to repair an AP window.

The heart has its own electrical system that tells it to beat. An arrhythmia is an abnormal electrical path in the heart which makes the heart beat either too fast or too slow. This can cause the heart to pump less effectively. Abnormal heart rhythms occur in many people who do not have heart disease. Heart rhythm problems can result in a slow heartbeat (bradyarrythmia) or a fast heartbeat (tachyarrhythmia). An electrophysiologist is a heart rhythm specialist and may need to be consulted if the problem is serious.

Inova offers the arterial switch procedure to correct a congenital heart defect called . This heart problem occurs when the aorta (the blood vessel that supplies blood to the body) comes out of the right (instead of the left) ventricle, while the pulmonary artery (the blood vessel that transports blood to the lungs) comes out of the left ventricle. We normally perform this procedure during the child’s first two weeks of life. Support Our Biggest Stars Donate and help fund life-saving programs, research and support for our pediatric patients.   

Bacterial endocarditis is an infection of the lining of the heart, most often the heart valves, or in the major blood vessels. Endocarditis can occur in a person at any age who has a congenital heart problem. It can also occur in people without heart disease. While endocarditis is not common, it can cause serious heart damage. The infection can eat holes in the important valves of the heart. In most cases, bacterial endocarditis can be treated with antibiotics. The antibiotics are given intravenously for six weeks.