diagnosis
Ventricular Septal defects can be detected by listening to the heart with a stethoscope.
An extra sound (heart murmur) can be heard coming from the heart. This is caused by the abnormal blood flow which is a result of the hole.
To confirm the VSD, doctors will perform one of the following tests:
Echocardiogram - Most common test
Electrocardiogram
X-ray
CT Scan
MRI Scan
Treatments
Most Ventricular Septal Defects are treated with surgery and it is usually done during the first year of life. it is an invasive method meaning surgeons have to make incisions in the skin to get to the heart. This method also requires longer healing.
The second treatment is less common, and a minimally invasive method using a catheter.
Catheters are tube like devices that can go through blood vessels.
For VSDs, the catheter goes through a blood vessel, usually from the leg, and makes its way up to the heart. Then a small device, called an Amplatzer, is deployed in the heart to close the hole.