A critical analysis of a patient's journey through Paediatric Essay

A critical analysis of a patient's journey through Paediatric Intensive Care Unit from a nursing perspective - Essay Example Even with the children who suffer the extreme form of this heart defect. The success rate has been very encouraging. The said infant suffered from Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) which is an extension of congenital heart disease. It is the fourth most common type of congenital cardiac defect. It basically is a functional signal ventricle due to the congenital heart. HLHS is characterized by a multiple abnormalities related to heart including steosis or atresia of ventricular  inflow and outflow tracts of both the left side (Report of the New England Regional Infant Cardiac Program, 1980). In the 1980’s most of the infants died within the first month of their birth but since then due to various medical advancements and the advent of Norwood procedure, the survival rate has risen a great deal (Kirklin et al. 1980). The two treatments of the congenital heart being currently offered are either multi stages surgical palliation or the orthotopic cardiac transplantation. The mortality rate of the HLHS is considerably higher than other defects occurring due to the congenital heart disease. Additionally there is not much knowledge and information about the long-term follow-up related to the HLHS survivors (Caplan et al. 1996). The infants who are born with this disease are usually born on time and have relatively normal birth weight. It has also been researched that extra cardiac and malformationsare is present in about 2.3% of them (Report of the New England Regional Infant Cardiac Program). It has also been noticed that its occurrence is more in boys than in girls. Fortunately the chances of this disease being present in the siblings are only 0.5% of the times and only 2.2% for other extension of congenital heart disease (Wernovsky, Bove, 1998). The chances of survival post the cardinal surgery has been increased to 95% now. Unfortunately the exact cause of the HLHS has yet