Truncus arteriosus is a very rare heart defect. The heart has
four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. In a normal heart,
blood travels from the right ventricle through the pulmonary
artery to the lungs. After oxygenated blood comes back to the
heart, blood is pumped out of the left ventricle through the
aorta to the rest of the body. With truncus arteriosus, one
large vessel forms, instead of the pulmonary artery and the
aorta. Also, in the two ventricles of the heart, part of the
wall that divides the chambers is missing. Because of these
defects, oxygen-rich blood is not circulated normally through
the body. Truncus arteriosus is a congenital defect. This means
that the heart forms incorrectly while the baby is in the womb.
It is not known exactly why some babies’ hearts develop this
way. Some risk factors for congenital heart disease may include:
Symptoms may include: - Blue or pale grayish skin color - Fast
breathing - High blood pressure - Poor feeding/poor weight gain
The doctor may also detect a f