The primary goal of treating pulmonary atresia is establishing a pathway for blood to reach the lungs for oxygenation and to improve overall heart function.
During a cardiac catheterization, a thin tube called a catheter is maneuvered from an opening in the groin to the heart. The catheter can measure pressure and blood flow. Some types of heart problems can be repaired from within the blood vessels during this procedure.
Newborns may receive prostaglandin medication to maintain the ductus arteriosus’s patency, or opening. This fetal blood vessel helps sustain blood flow to the lungs.
Surgical procedures are often necessary to create a pathway for blood to reach the lungs. Common surgeries include:
- The Blalock-Taussig shunt
- Right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit
- Reconstruction of the pulmonary valve
