With the normal development of the baby, even in the womb, special holes function in the heart, which after birth should close with the first breath. One of these holes is an oval window. But it often happens that such a window does not close.
Our article is devoted to this common pathology. In this material, you will discover the essence of the problem of a functioning oval window.
In 1930, scientists examined about 1000 children's hearts, as a result, about 35% of the subjects had an open oval window (OOO). In our time, the frequency of this phenomenon reaches 40% in the child population.
Why does a fetus need an oval window?
In the womb of the mother, the child does not breathe in the literal sense of the word, since the lungs cannot function, they resemble a deflated ball. The open oval window in newborns is a small opening between the atria. Through the oval window, blood from the veins flows into the only systemic circle of the fetus.
After birth, the baby takes the first breath, the lungs begin their work. The open oval window is closed by a valve due to the pressure difference. But such a valve may be too small to completely tighten the hole.
A functioning oval window is a heart anomaly, and by no means a defect.
Reasons for non-closure of the oval window
The exact cause of this pathology does not exist.
Allocate a few of the most common factors.
- In almost all premature and immature newborns, the window remains open.
- Smoking, mother's substance abuse.
- Intrauterine fetal hypoxia.
- Prolonged labor, baby asphyxia during labor.
- Unfavorable environmental factors.
- Mother's stress.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Congenital heart defects.
- Occupational hazard with toxic substances in the mother.
Open oval window in children and its symptoms
In most cases, such children do not present complaints.
Therefore, it is very important for mothers to be attentive and monitor the slightest deviations in the behavior of babies.
What can you see?
- The appearance of blue around the mouth in a newborn. Such cyanosis appears after crying, screaming, while sucking, bathing.
- In older children, tolerance (resistance) to physical activity decreases. The child rests, sits down after the usual outdoor games.
- Shortness of breath. In general, a child should normally easily climb to the 4th floor without any signs of shortness of breath.
- Frequent colds in infants, namely: bronchitis, pneumonia.
- Doctors listen to a heart murmur.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. The child is 10 days old, while swimming, the mother notes the blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle. The baby was born full-term, weighing 3500. Mom confessed that she smoked during pregnancy. On examination, a murmur at the apex of the heart was noted. The kid was sent for an ultrasound scan. As a result, an open oval window of 3.6 mm was revealed. The child is registered.
Diagnostics
Ultrasound of the heart has the main clinical significance. The doctor clearly sees a small opening in the projection of the left atrium, as well as the direction of blood flow.
When listening to a heart murmur, the pediatrician will definitely refer your baby to this type of study.
According to the new standards, at 1 month all newborns need to undergo ultrasound screening, including the heart.
As a rule, there are no pathological changes on the ECG with LLC.
Treatment
In 50% of children, the oval window functions for up to a year and then closes on its own; in 25%, infection occurs by the fifth year of life. For 8% of the adult population, the window remains open.
What if the window has not closed after 5 years? Essentially nothing. The open oval window in a newborn is too small to provide atrial overload with the development of heart failure. Therefore, it is necessary to dynamically observe the baby, annually undergo an ultrasound of the heart and be examined by a pediatric cardiologist.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. There was a 13-year-old boy at the reception. For 4 years, the child has been engaged in active sports - rowing. An ultrasound of the heart was accidentally done during the prophylactic examination, where an oval window of 4 mm in size was first discovered. At the same time, the child, all his 13 years old, did not make any complaints and did an excellent job with physical activity. He even took first places in competitions.
When complaints appear in a child, drug therapy is prescribed in the form of cardiotrophic drugs and nootropics - Magnelis, Kudesan, Piracetam.
These drugs improve myocardial nutrition and exercise tolerance.
Recently, it has become reliable that the drug levocarnitine (Elcar) promotes the rapid closure of the oval window, if you drink it for 2 months at a rate 3 times a year. True, it is not entirely clear what this is connected with. From my personal experience, I can say that I did not see a clear connection between the reception of Elkar and the closure of the LLC.
But it still happens that the oval window can lead to impaired blood circulation and heart failure. In pediatric practice, this is rare, in most cases it occurs by the age of 30-40. Then the question of surgical intervention with the closure of this hole is resolved. A small patch is applied endovascularly (that is, with a catheter) through the femoral vein.
As for sports and a functioning oval window, in the absence of complaints and good indicators of ultrasound of the heart, you can engage in any kind of sports.
It is not recommended for kids with LLC to go diving and parachute jumping. This is due to the sudden change in pressure. The foramen ovale may enlarge to an atrial septal defect.
Complications
They are quite rare. Associated with embolism and impaired blood flow. These are heart attacks, strokes and kidney infarction.
These complications can already occur in an adult. And such a patient should always warn the doctor that his oval window is functioning.
Small heart anomalies for the most part do not harm the health of children. Some famous athletes have this pathology and become Olympic champions. Many doctors consider LLC to be the norm. But it should be remembered that annual supervision by a specialist is necessary.
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