Common arterial trunk is a defect in which a single great artery, or "trunk," comes out of the ventricles instead of the usual pulmonary artery and aorta. This big artery sits on top of the left and right ventricle and is usually accompanied by a ventricular septal defect. The condition results in too much blood being directed to the lungs, so the heart must work much harder to deliver a normal amount of blood to the body. In some cases the heart and body do not receive enough blood flow. The two illustrations below compare a normal heart to a heart with a common arterial trunk.
Common arterial trunks makes up 1.1% to 2.5% of all types of congenital heart disease.
What are the symptoms of common arterial trunk?
Symptoms include congestive heart failure and heart murmur.
A diagnosis is usually made by way of an echocardiogram or cardiac catheterization.
How is common arterial trunk treated?
This defect generally requires surgery early in life. This involves closing the ventricular septal defect, separating the pulmonary arteries from the large common artery, and connecting the pulmonary arteries to the right ventricle by way of an artificial connection, or conduit.
What is the long-term outlook for children with common arterial trunk?
With surgery, about 90% of children survive. The outlook is good, though additional surgery to replace the conduit may be needed later in life as your child grows.
