Truncus Arteriosus

Truncus arteriosus is a condition where there is just one large blood vessel instead of two separate vessels leaving the pumping chambers (ventricles) of the heart. In a normal heart, the large blood vessel that carries blood around the body (aorta) comes out of the left ventricle and the one that carries blood to the lungs (pulmonary artery) comes out of the right ventricle.

Having just one large blood vessel means oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood is able to mix and flow from the heart to the body and lungs. Most children also have a hole between the two ventricles (ventricular septal defect) which again allows oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood to mix.

Truncus arteriosus is a form of congenital heart disease – a term used to describe a problem with the heart’s structure and function due to abnormal development before birth.

Contact

Please note: Children’s Heart Surgery Fund is not a medical resource and cannot provide medical advice. Heart conditions are very individual and what can be right for one person could potentially be dangerous for another. If you have any questions about yours or your child’s condition, please get in touch with Leeds Congenital Heart Unit directly, or the specialist nurses.

If you have any questions about your or your child’s heart condition, please contact the Cardiac Nurse Specialists

Children’s Cardiac Nurse Specialists

Phone number: 0113 3925467

Email: ccns.lgi@nhs.net

Adult Cardiac Nurse Specialists

Phone number: 0113 3928154
Email: leedsth-tr.achdnurse@nhs.net