Published in:
Open Access 01-04-2011 | Case Report
Emergency department diagnosis of atrial and ventricular septal defects, bicuspid aortic valve and pulmonary hypertension
Published in: The Ultrasound Journal | Issue 1/2011
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Introduction
A 41-year-old Cuban man with Down syndrome and mental retardation was brought to the Emergency Department for episodes of worsening shortness of breath over one day. Bedside color Doppler ultrasound subcostal and apical four-chamber examination of the heart revealed atrial and ventricular septal defects with left-to-right shunting of blood. A right ventricular outflow tract view revealed a bicuspid aortic valve, and continuous wave Doppler ultrasound in the right ventricular inflow tract view revealed tricuspid regurgitation and pulmonary hypertension.
Conclusion
Bedside echocardiography with color Doppler and continuous wave Doppler imaging can assist the emergency physician and the critical care physician in the diagnosis of ASD, VSD, bicuspid aortic valve, and pulmonary hypertension in the Down syndrome patient who is short of breath.