Pulmonary valve stenosis
Pulmonary stenosis is often caused by congenital heart defects where the pulmonary valve is abnormally narrow. This narrowing restricts blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs, leading to increased pressure in the right side of the heart. Pulmonary stenosis can also be acquired later in life due to conditions like rheumatic heart disease or infective endocarditis.
The pulmonary valve is also known as the pulmonic valve, and the aortic valve is simply referred to as the aortic valve.
The pulmonary semilunar valve, also called the pulmonic valve, prevents blood that was ejected out of the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery from flowing back into the right ventricle.
DefinitionPulmonary valve stenosis is a condition in which the flow of blood from the heart (right ventricle, or lower chamber) is blocked at the valve that separates the heart from the pulmonary artery (pulmonic valve). This narrowing is usually present at birth (congenital).Alternative NamesValvular pulmonary stenosis; Heart valve pulmonary stenosisCauses, incidence, and risk factorsPulmonary valve stenosis is most often caused by a problem that occurs when the unborn baby (fetus) is developing. The cause is unknown, but genetics may play a role.Narrowing that occurs in the pulmonary valve is called pulmonary valve stenosis. Narrowing that occurs below the pulmonary valve is called subvalvar pulmonary stenosis. Another form of the condition, supravalvar pulmonary stenosis, is when narrowing occurs above the main pulmonary valve.The defect may occur alone. However, it can also occur with other heart defects. The condition can be mild or severe. It occurs rarely, in only about 10% of patients with congenital heart disease.Pulmonary stenosis can also occur later in life as a result of conditions that cause damage or scarring of the heart valves. These include rheumatic fever, endocarditis, and other disorders.SymptomsBluish coloration to the skin (cyanosis) in some patientsChest painFaintingFatiguePoor weight gain or failure to thrive in infants with severe blockageShortness of breathSudden deathNote: Patients with mild to moderate blockage may not have any symptoms. There may be no symptoms until the disorder is severe. Symptoms, when present, may get worse with exercise or activity.Signs and testsThe health care provider may hear a heart murmur by stethoscope. Tests used in the diagnosis of pulmonary stenosis may include:Cardiac catheterizationChest x-rayECGEchocardiogramMRI of the heartTreatmentSometimes, treatment may not be required.Percutaneous balloon pulmonary dilation (valvuloplasty) using a catheter can be successful for pulmonary valve stenosis that occurs without other heart defects.Surgery may be performed to repair the defect.Medications used before surgery may include:Anti-arrhythmics to improve the heart functionBlood thinners to prevent clotsProstaglandinsWater pills to remove the excess fluidExpectations (prognosis)As a general rule with mild stenosis, one-third of patients get better, one-third stay the same, and one-third get worse. The outcome is good with successful surgery or cardiac catheterization. Other congenital heart defects may also be a factor.ComplicationsCyanosisDeathHeart failureLeaking of blood back into the right ventricle (pulmonary regurgitation) after repairRight ventricular hypertrophy (enlargement)Calling your health care providerCall your health care provider if you have symptoms of pulmonary valve stenosis.Call your health care provider if you have treated or untreated pulmonary valve stenosis and you develop swelling (of the ankles or any area), difficulty breathing, or other new symptoms.ReferencesZipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 8th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2007.
Pyloric stenosis is also referred to as hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
The valve located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary trunk is the pulmonary semilunar valve, also known as the pulmonic valve. This valve prevents the backflow of blood from the pulmonary trunk into the right ventricle during the heart's pumping cycle.
Aortic valve stenosis can occur because of a birth defect in the formation of the valve. Calcium deposits may form on the valve with aging, causing the valve to become stiff and narrow. Stenosis can also occur as a result of rheumatic fever.
The most successful valvuloplasty results are achieved in treating narrowed pulmonary valves, although the treatment of mitral valve stenosis is also generally good. The aortic valve procedure is more difficult to perform and is generally less successful.
A "Pink Tet" is simply an Acyanotic Tetralogy of Fallot. The same 4 cardiac anomalies are present as in Cyanotic ToF: 1) Pulmonary Stenosis, 2) VSD, 3) Overriding Aorta and 4) Right Ventricular Hypertrophy... but the pulmonary stenosis less severe. Milder pulmonary stenosis means that more blood is getting to the lungs to pick up oxygen. Also, because less stenosis equals less back pressure through the Right to Left shunt and less shunting of oxygen-poor blood into the peripheral circulation.
The two atrioventricular (AV) valves, which are between the atria and the ventricles, are the mitral valve and the tricuspid valve.The two semilunar (SL) valves, which are in the arteries leaving the heart, are the aortic valve and the pulmonary valve.
The pulmonary valve(sometimes referred to as thepulmonic valve) is thesemilunar valveof the heart that lies between theright ventricleand thepulmonary arteryand has three cusps.Similar to theaortic valve, the pulmonary valve opens inventricular systole, when the pressure in the right ventricle rises above the pressure in the pulmonary artery. At the end of ventricular systole, when the pressure in the right ventricle falls rapidly, the pressure in the pulmonary artery will close the pulmonary valve.