Pulmonary Stenosis: An Introduction
Pulmonary stenosis is a condition in which the pulmonary valve of the heart is narrowed. Pulmonary stenosis is a congenital
heart disease, meaning that people are born with it.
The pulmonary valve is on the right side of the heart. It separates the right ventricle and the entrance to the pulmonary artery, which carries blood to the lungs. Valves are like doors that open and close. They open to allow blood to flow into the next chamber of the heart or into one of the arteries, and then they shut to keep blood from flowing backwards.
With pulmonary stenosis, the pulmonary valve is malformed. This causes the pulmonary valve to not fully open. This forces the heart (right ventricle) to pump harder to get blood past the pulmonary valve and into the lungs. Over time, the right ventricle thickens because of the extra work it is doing. As the right ventricle thickens, it becomes less effective at pumping blood through the pulmonary valve.
Symptoms of Pulmonary Stenosis
Difficulty breathing and fatigue are the two most common symptoms of pulmonary stenosis. However, people can remain without symptoms for quite some time, as the heart compensates for the pulmonary stenosis. In babies with severe pulmonary stenosis, some blue coloring to the skin may appear.
Diagnosing Pulmonary Stenosis
Doctors diagnose pulmonary stenosis based on the patient's symptoms, a physical exam, and certain tests and procedures. The tests to diagnose pulmonary stenosis can include:
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