Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

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Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Aortic and Mitral Atresia with Hypoplasic Left Heart Syndrome
• HLHS

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a term used to describe a group of closely related rare heart defects that are present at birth (congenital). The normal heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers, known as atria, are separated from each other by a fibrous partition known as the atrial septum. The two lower chambers are known as ventricles and are separated from each other by the ventricular septum. Valves connect the atria (left and right) to their respective ventricles. The valves allow for blood to be pumped through the chambers. Blood travels from the right ventricle through the pulmonary artery to the lungs where it receives oxygen. The blood returns to the heart through pulmonary veins and enters the left ventricle. The left ventricle sends the now oxygen-filled blood into the main artery of the body (aorta). The aorta sends the blood throughout the body.



Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is characterized by the underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of the chambers on the left side of the heart (i.e., left atrium and ventricle). In addition, the mitral valve, which connects these chambers to each other, is usually abnormally narrow (stenosis) or closed (atresia) and the aortic valve, which connects the heart to the major vessels that lead from the lungs (ascending aorta), may also be narrow or closed. Infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome also have an abnormally narrow ascending aorta.

Resources

American Heart Association

National Center

7272 Greenville Avenue

Dallas, TX 75231-4596

Tel: (214)373-6300

Fax: (214)373-0268

Tel: (800)242-8721

Email: inquire@heart.org

Internet: http://www.americanheart.org



Congenital Heart Anomalies, Support, Education, & Resources

2112 North Wilkins Road

Swanton, OH 43558

Tel: (419)825-5575

Fax: (419)825-2880

Email: chaser@compuserve.com

Internet: http://www.csun.edu/~hcmth011/chaser/chaser-news.html



NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

31 Center Drive MSC 2480

Building 31A Rm 4A16

Bethesda, MD 20892-2480

Tel: (301)592-8573

Fax: (240)629-3246

Email: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov

Internet: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/



Kids With Heart National Association for Children's Heart Disorders, Inc.

1578 Careful Dr

Green Bay, WI 54304-2941

Tel: (920)498-0058

Fax: (920)498-0058

Tel: (800)538-5390

Email: kidswithheart@greenbaynet.com

Internet: http://www.kidswithheart.org



Little Hearts, Inc.

P.O. Box 171

Cromwell, CT 06416

USA

Tel: 8606350006

Fax: 8606350006

Tel: 8664354673

Email: info@littlehearts.org

Internet: http://www.littlehearts.org



Birth Defect Research for Children

930 Woodcock Rd

Suite 225

Orlando, FL 32803

USA

Tel: 4078950802

Fax: 4078950824

Email: staff@birthdefects.org

Internet: http://www.birthdefects.org



Congenital Heart Information Network

1561 Clark Dr

Yardley, PA 19067

Tel: (215)493-3068

Fax: (215)493-3068

Email: mb@tchin.org

Internet: http://www.tchin.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  9/17/2007

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Last updated:	September 17, 2007