truncus arteriosus

Pathology

• infants born with a truncus arteriosus

Physiology

• common arterial trunk opening out of both ventricles in early fetal life
• later divides into the aorta & pulmonary artery by development of the spiral septum

Clinical manifestations

• cyanosis
• murmur(s) present
  • systolic ejection murmur at the left sternal border due to increased flow across the truncal valve
  • diastolic murmur (high-pitched) along the left sternal border if there is truncal valve regurgitation
  • or both systolic murmur & diastolic murmur

More general terms

• embryonic structure
• congenital heart disease; congenital cyanotic heart disease