Investigating heart condition after repair of Tetralogy of Fallot

Phenotypic characterisation of human myocardium after repair of Tetralogy of Fallot

Tetralogy of Fallot is a severe heart birth defect that requires corrective surgery. Most patients will die before the age of 20 without the surgery, but the best age at which to have the procedure is not known. The surgery can cause a heart valve to leak, affecting the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the lungs, and patients may have to undergo more surgery later to replace the valve. Professor Jonathan Kentish and his team from King’s College London’s British Heart Foundation Centre are looking at the structure and function of heart cells from patients who are undergoing surgery to correct a leaky valve – looking at features such as stiffness and elasticity of the tissue and presence of scar tissue. The researchers will match this information to the patient’s health by measuring blood flow and capacity to exercise, improving our understanding of how to treat and manage children born with Tetralogy of Fallot.