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Ebstein's anomaly - Symptom

Alternative Names

Ebstein's malformation

Symptoms:

Symptoms range from mild to very severe. Often, symptoms develop soon after birth and include bluish-colored lips and nails due to low blood oxygen levels. In severe cases, the baby appears very sick and has trouble breathing.

Symptoms in older children may include:

Cough
Failure to grow
Fatigue
Rapid breathing
Shortness of breath
Very fast heartbeat

Signs and tests:

Newborns who have a severe leakage across the tricuspid valve will have very low levels of oxygen in their blood and significant heart swelling. The doctor may hear abnormal heart sounds, such as murmur, when listening to the chest with a stethoscope.

Tests that can help diagnose this condition include:

Chest x-ray
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart
Measurement of the electrical activity of the heart (EKG)
Ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram)

Ebstein's anomaly

Reviewed last on: 2/5/2010
Kurt R. Schumacher, MD, Pediatric Cardiology, University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center, Ann Arbor, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Cyanotic Congenital Heart Defects. In: Park MK, Troxler RG, eds. Pediatric Cardiology for Practioners. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby, Inc; 2008: chap 14.

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