Practice Question
Nick was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Which of the following responses should the nurse educate his parents regarding the treatment of this disease?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Surgery is a palliative measure. The patient will require a heart transplant
Rationale:
❤️ Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a severe congenital heart defect where the left side of the heart (left ventricle, mitral valve, aortic valve, and ascending aorta) is underdeveloped or non-functional.
❤️ Because the left heart cannot pump systemic circulation effectively, immediate treatment is needed after birth to sustain life.
❤️ Initial management includes prostaglandin E1 to keep the ductus arteriosus open, allowing blood flow to bypass the left side.
❤️ Surgical intervention involves staged palliative surgeries (e.g., Norwood, Glenn, and Fontan procedures), but these do not cure the defect—they only redirect blood flow to optimize oxygenation and systemic circulation.
❤️ Ultimately, many children with HLHS will require a heart transplant, as even staged surgeries can result in chronic heart failure over time.
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This question is from RN ATI Pediatrics Exam IV which contains 35 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN ATI Pediatrics
- Answer Choices: 4