Pathophysiology of pulmonary circulation in congenital heart disease

Abstract

There are several types of abnormalities in the integrated physiology of pulmonary circulation in congenital heart disease. The main pathology of Eisenmenger syndrome involves a change in pulmonary resistance and is the most commonly observed pathophysiology in pulmonary hypertension. Other diseases also present with the main pathophysiological characteristic of reduced pulmonary compliance, such as tetralogy of Fallot and multiple peripheral pulmonary stenosis. In addition, the cavo-pulmonary connection has the unique feature of both pulmonary circulation and regulation. According to the differences in the pathophysiological features of pulmonary circulation, therapeutic approaches may considerably differ between diseases and conditions. Physiology-based clinical insights with regard to pulmonary circulation in congenital heart disease will be discussed in this chapter.