Overview
Pulmonary atresia (uh-TREE-zhuh) is a heart problem present at birth. That means it is a congenital heart defect. In this condition, the valve that helps move blood from the heart to the lungs doesn’t form correctly. The valve is called the pulmonary valve.
Instead of a valve that opens and closes, a solid sheet of tissue forms. So, blood can’t travel its usual path to get oxygen from the lungs. Instead, some blood travels to the lungs through other natural passages within the heart and its arteries.
A baby in the womb needs these other passages. But they usually close soon after birth.
Pulmonary atresia is a life-threatening condition that needs emergency treatment. Treatment includes surgery to repair the heart and medicines to help the heart work better.
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