OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is tricuspid valve atresia. While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how tricuspid valve atresia will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a tradition question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
A 7 day old newborn boy is in the NICU because of central cyanosis. He was born at 39 weeks gestation with an uncomplicated delivery. His family history is notable for a maternal uncle who died of a hypoplastic left heard syndrome immediately after birth. A physical exam reveals a 2/6 holosystolic murmur that is loudest at the left lower sternal border. The lungs of the patient are clear bilaterally and a chest radiograph shows decreased pulmonary vascular markings, and an unremarkable cardiac border. There is left axis deviation and tall peaked P waves noted on a electrocardiogram. What is a likely diagnosis in this patient?
Explanation: newborn with central cyanosis + holosystolic murmur (ventral/septal defect) decreased poulmanry vascular markings (on X-ray) + left axis deviation + tall/peaked P waves (on EKG) = tricuspid valve atresia
Page Updated: 11.23.2016