|
The sooner hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is diagnosed, the more likely treatment will be successful. An HLHS diagnosis may be made either before or after birth. If the diagnosis is made while in-utero, a fetal echocardiogram may be used. Commonly referred to as an ultrasound, an echocardiogram allows the physician to see images of the developing fetus and its various organs and systems, including the heart and cardiovascular system.
If diagnosis is made before birth, parents will likely be offered the option of a medical termination of pregnancy (MTP), also referred to as a “therapeutic abortion.” This is a difficult and personal decision. If they choose to take the pregnancy to term, this period after diagnosis and before birth offers time for counseling and education and transfer of mother and baby to a center experienced in pediatric heart surgery.
After birth, diagnosis is made by any of the following methods:
- Echocardiogram to show the heart’s internal structures and to determine the rate and direction of blood flow. This test will allow physicians to determine the diameter of the aortic and mitral valves. It will also allow the physicians to determine whether there are other conditions that will need to be addressed and impact on the mode of therapy.
- Chest x-ray to determine the size and shape of the heart’s chambers and vessels. This test, however, has drawbacks because it may not allow the physician to differentiate between this condition and other congenital heart defects with abnormal anatomy of the heart.
| 
/doctor_89.jpg "ulcerative colitis tips")
