Strategies For Treating Tricuspid Atresia

Pulmonary Artery Band Placement

In some cases of tricuspid atresia, the infant's lungs become overwhelmed with an abnormally high volume of blood flow. This may happen when there is a ventricular septal defect present along with the tricuspid atresia. This arrangement means oxygen-poor blood would flow into the right atrium, through the abnormal hole, and into the left atrium. From there the blood moves into the left ventricle, and then into the right ventricle where it is pumped into the lungs. When the blood returns from the lungs, it flows back into the left atrium and through the left ventricle. From there, the blood either exits the heart via the aorta, or it flows through the hole into the right ventricle and begins the cycle all over again. This abnormal flow sends more blood to the lungs than to the rest of the body where it should be going. In order to stop the high volumes of blood from entering and damaging the fragile vascular arrangement of the lungs, a pulmonary artery band placement may be performed. During this procedure, a band is placed around the main pulmonary artery, and this will reduce the high volume of blood flow into the branching pulmonary arteries.