Tetralogy of Fallot

• four features

  • 1 VSD

  • 2 subpulmonic or pulmonary valve stenosis

  • 3 aortic valve overrides VSD

  • 4 right ventricular hypertrophy

• clinical severity depends on severity of pulmonic stenosis and size of VSD

diagram of tetralogy of Fallot

• VSD is present

• aortic valve overrides the VSD

• right ventricle pumps blood into left ventricle as well as directly into the aorta

• this leads to deoxygenated systemic circulation and cyanosis

gross specimen

• aorta is huge, pulmonary artery is small

• here the stenosis is not horrendously severe because the ratio of aortic:pulmonic flow might be 2:1

• in any case, right ventricle is very hypertrophic

gross specimen

• pulmonary artery is much smaller than aorta

Category: Pathology Notes