Interruption of the Aortic Arch (IAA)
Also known as: interrupted aortic arch, IAA
What is Interruption of the Aortic Arch (IAA)?
As the aorta carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, it arches upward before bending around and down. When blood flow is cut off at any point along this arch, it is known as interruption of the aortic arch or an interrupted aortic arch (IAA).
What causes interruption of the aortic arch?
Interruption of the aortic arch appears to be a genetic disorder. It occurs during fetal development, and infants that have it often have other heart defects, as well.
What are the symptoms of IAA?
Signs and symptoms of interruption of the aortic arch usually occur soon after birth, frequently presenting with a heart murmur, a rapid heart rate, gray and cold feet and legs, shortness of breath, problems with feeding, and being more sleepy and unresponsive than normal.
What are interruption of the aortic arch care options?
Interruption of the aortic arch is typically treated with surgery to repair the problems of the aorta, as well as other related heart problems.
Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP
This page was last updated on: December 18, 2020 05:00 PM
Learn more about
When the heartbeat is interrupted by unusual sounds such as blowing, whooshing or rasping, it’s called a heart murmur.
Congenital Heart Defects/Disease
Any unusual physical feature or health problem that is present at the birth of a baby is known as a birth defect or a congenital anomaly.
A fetal echocardiogram is a detailed ultrasound performed of the baby's heart before the baby is born.
Interrupted aortic arch repair
Interrupted aortic arch repair is a surgical procedure to fix interrupted aortic arch (IAA). IAA is a heart defect in which the aorta is incomplete. The aorta is the main artery that carries blood with oxygen out of the heart to the body. In a child with IAA, there is a disconnection between the top part of the aortic arch and the lower, descending aorta.
Ross-Konno procedure is a surgery to repair a damaged aortic valve. The aortic valve is responsible for pumping blood from the heart out to the body. The left ventricular outflow tract is also enlarged as part of the Ross-Konno procedure.