Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR)

Diagnosis

Your child’s doctor will do a physical examination and use a stethoscope to listen to the heart to look for a heart murmur.

An echocardiogram is used for diagnosing a total anomalous pulmonary venous return. In this procedure, sound waves are used to produce images of the beating heart of your child. The size of the heart chambers, holes in the heart, and pulmonary veins can all be seen on an echocardiogram.

If more information is required, additional tests may be performed, including an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), a chest X-ray, or a Computerized Tomography (CT) scan.

Treatment

Surgery is needed when a child is a baby and the time it will be needed, will be determined if there is a blockage or not. Surgeons join the pulmonary veins to the left atrium and seal the opening between the atria to treat this congenital heart abnormality.

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return patients will require routine medical exams with cardiologists specializing in congenital heart disease to check for infections, blockages, or issues with heart rhythm.