A portion of this blood flows from the left ventricle up the pulmonary trunk to the lungs and through the patent ductus arteriosus to the body. Another portion of this blood flows through a ventricular septal defect, and is pumped by the hypoplastic right ventricle up the aorta. HLHS is a severe form of congenital heart disease. Without surgical intervention, HLHS is fatal. Infants are often diagnosed within 24 to 48 hours of birth.
Symptoms appear when the ductus arteriosus begins to close.
Supportive care Before surgical treatment was developed, at least 90 per cent of infants with this condition died by the age of one month. Even today, some infants are not candidates for surgical therapy. For these infants, supportive care is the only option. Exactly what this care entails will depend on the condition of the infant, but would likely include assistance with breathing, the provision of fluids and management of pain. Reconstruction of the heart Staged reconstruction is the treatment of choice for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.