Let's simply learn about the Truncus Arteriosus: the only major artery in your baby's heart!

When you look at your newborn baby, have you noticed that his lips and fingertips are a little blue? Does he seem very tired, sweaty, and sleepy after feeding? It is normal for a mother or father to feel very scared when they see these things. Sometimes, behind such symptoms, there may be a rare congenital heart disease called Truncus Arteriosus. Don't be afraid when you hear this name. Let's talk about this simply and clearly.

Simply put, what is this Truncus Arteriosus?

This may seem a little difficult to understand, but it's very simple. Imagine that a healthy baby has two main blood vessels (arteries) coming out of its heart.

1. Pulmonary Artery: This carries "dirty" blood with low oxygen levels from the heart to the lungs. The lungs pick up oxygen from this blood.

2. Aorta: This is what carries the "clean" blood that has been oxygenated from the lungs back to the heart, and from there it is pumped to the entire body.

Do you understand now? It's like two roads. One to the lungs, the other to the body.

However, in a baby with Truncus Arteriosus , these two blood vessels are replaced by only one large blood vessel . This causes the oxygenated blood and the oxygenated blood to mix together.

For this reason, doctors consider this a very serious congenital heart defect . The condition must be corrected by surgery soon after the baby is born.

How do I know if my baby has this condition?

These symptoms usually start to appear within the first few days after the baby is born. You should be very careful about this.

If you notice any of these symptoms, take your baby to a doctor immediately . Don't delay.

Why does this condition occur in a baby?

Most of the time, even doctors can't say exactly why this happens to some babies. But the main reason is that there is a defect that occurs when the heart develops during the early stages of the baby's development in the mother's womb. Those two blood vessels that we talked about earlier are initially connected. Later, they split into two. In this case, that division doesn't happen properly.

This heart defect may be associated with certain genetic conditions, such as DiGeorge syndrome , and may also be slightly more likely to occur due to certain risk factors the mother faces during pregnancy.

Risk factors during pregnancy

• Mother having diabetes
• Developing certain viral infections, such as rubella
• Alcohol or drug use
• Exposure to toxic chemicals that are harmful to the baby, such as lead

How do doctors find this?

Sometimes, this can be suspected during routine tests performed at the hospital after the baby is born. If the pulse oximetry test, which measures the baby's oxygen levels, shows low oxygen levels, the doctors will do further tests.

The main test to confirm this disease is an echocardiogram . This is a scan of the heart. This allows you to clearly see the shape of the heart, the location of the blood vessels, and the pattern of blood flow.

Sometimes, if the doctor sees any abnormalities in the heart during a prenatal ultrasound, he may recommend a fetal echocardiogram , which specifically looks at the baby's heart.

What are the treatments for this? Is surgery necessary?

Yes. This condition cannot be cured with medication alone. It is imperative that the baby has a heart operation within the first few weeks of birth. This is something that is done to save the baby's life.

The main surgery for this is called a Rastelli repair . In this, surgeons perform:

• The hole in the heart wall (the `VSD`) is closed with a patch.
• A new aorta is created using the only existing large blood vessel (`truncus`).
• Using an artificial conduit and valve, a new pulmonary artery is created to carry blood to the lungs.

Simply put, doctors rebuild the two missing arteries inside the heart. Although this is a very complex surgery, skilled heart surgeons in Sri Lanka perform these surgeries successfully.

Can a baby survive with this condition?

This question is probably the biggest fear in your mind. The answer is, yes, it is definitely possible. But only if you have surgery. If left untreated, there is a great risk to a baby's life within the first year.

However, survival rates after surgery are now much higher. According to the latest data, the success rate of the surgery is as high as 80% to 97% . A baby who is well within a year of surgery has a greater than 92% chance of surviving to age 20.

Don't be scared by these statistics. Every baby is different. Your baby's future is not determined by these numbers. The most important thing is to give your baby the medical care he needs and your love and care.

They can live a normal life, but sometimes they may feel a little tired when they run around and play like other children. But they can go to school, study, and do their work. The most important thing is to be under the supervision of a cardiologist throughout their lives .