Tetralogy of Fallot: Year of the Zebra

A child’s heart is about the size of their little fist, but its importance for survival far outweighs its relative size. Tetralogy of Fallot is the single most common form of congenital heart disease that causes cyanosis (bluish discoloration from lack of oxygen). It combines 4 different heart defects that ultimately result in obstruction of blood flow from the right ventricle into the lungs. Although signs and symptoms vary wildly, some infants suffer 'tet'' spells wherein they gasp for air, become nonresponsive, and extremely cyanotic. To learn how to resolve 'tet'' episodes and more, watch the above video.