Ventricular Septal Defect

Excerpt

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital cardiac anomaly in children and is the second most common congenital abnormality in adults, second only to a bicuspid aortic valve. An abnormal communication between the right and left ventricles and shunt formation is the main mechanism of hemodynamic compromise in VSD. While many VSDs close spontaneously, if they do not, large defects can lead to detrimental complications such as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), ventricular dysfunction, and an increased risk of arrhythmias. VSDs were first identified by Dalrymple in the year 1847.