Tetralogy of Fallot (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Tetralogy of Fallot Overview
- Tetralogy of Fallot Causes
- Tetralogy of Fallot Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Tetralogy of Fallot Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Surgery
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Outlook
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
Outlook
After successful surgery, children generally don't have any symptoms and lead normal lives with few, if any, restrictions. However, the surgery itself may have some long-term complications. These include the following:
- Right ventricular failure: Right ventricular failure is possible, especially if surgery created severe pulmonary valve insufficiency, that is regurgitation of
blood backwards from the pulmonary artery into the right ventricle.
- Electrical conduction abnormalities: Every patient with tetralogy of Fallot has right bundle branch block secondary to the congenital ventricular septal defect. But sewing the patch into the ventricular septum can create heart block or failure of the upper atria to conduct/communicate with the lower ventricles. A permanent pacemaker is
occasionally needed.
- Arrhythmias: Because of surgery on the ventricles, postoperative ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an infrequent risk. This is a life-threatening arrhythmia, so follow-up detection of risk for ventricular tachycardia is
important.
- Residual hole in the ventricular septum: This is also possible, with oxygenated blood passing from the left side of the heart to the right (shunting).
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Tetralogy of Fallot »
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is one of the most common congenital heart disorders (CHDs).

