Ventricular Septal Defect Reference Guide

Ventricular Septal Defect

This is an example of an ventricular septal defect as heard at the tricuspid position. Ventricular Septal Defect is a congenital condition associated with abnormal blood flow between the left ventricle and the right ventricle. During fetal development a wall develops creating a right and left ventricle. In a percentage of individuals a defect in the wall persists allowing blood flow from the left ventricle into the right ventricle. This condition is known as a ventricular septal defect. The first heart sound is normal. The second heart sound is unsplit. There is a third heart sound followed by a short diamond shaped diastolic murmur. A medium pitched murmur fills all of systole. In the anatomy video you see an enlarged right ventricle and an enlarged left atrium. You see turbulent blood flow from the left ventricle into the right ventricle through the up portion of the septum (the systolic murmur). There is further turbulent flow into the left ventricle from the left atrium causing the diastolic murmur. This is caused by VSD induced increased blood flow across the mitral valve.