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Double-inlet left ventricle (DILV) is a very rare congenital (present at birth) heart defect in which a child’s heart has an intact left ventricle pumping chamber and a small right ventricle. Both of the upper chambers of the heart, the right and left atria, empty into the left ventricle. Cardiothoracic surgeons typically classify double-inlet left ventricle as a type of single ventricle defect, and treat the defect with several surgeries over the course of many years.
Children with this heart defect may have other heart issues as well, such as:
The complex surgeries used to fix double-inlet left ventricle require experience, skill and training. Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with UofL School of Medicine, has pediatric subspecialists with the experience to map out a detailed plan to treat children with this type of congenital heart disease.
Norton Children’s Heart Institute is the leading provider of pediatric heart care in Louisville and Southern Indiana.
Norton Children’s Heart Institute has a network of remote diagnostic and treatment services in Kentucky and Southern Indiana..
Your child will need a number of surgeries to improve blood circulation throughout the body and into the lungs. Each surgery will depend on your child’s current health, size and any other issues he or she has.
The series of surgeries to repair double-inlet left ventricle includes:
A child who has a double-inlet left ventricle repair will need lifelong care with a cardiologist to look for any complications and issues that may show up as the child grows.