20 week scan showed heart problem - advice please

[spotts]

Hi,
We had 20 week scan today and have been referred to specialist for further scan due to heart arteries being the wrong way round. The Dr explained it as the pulmonary artery and the superior vena cava being the wrong way round. Anytime I've googled this all I keep seeing is info about pulmonary artery and aorta being wrong way round. nothing about the vena cava. Has anyone else had experience of this?

[user1477282676]

Sorry you've had this news it must be very worrying. When you say he said they were the wrong way round, do you mean that they are on the wrong sides?

[KavvLar]

I don't know what this means but I do understand how it is worrying for you. They can find out so much that it is difficult to grasp what is and isn't serious. Did they give any idea of time frame to see consultant? Deep breaths, keep calm, don't fall into Google.

[spotts]

Thank you both for your kind words. Yeah user1477282676 where you normally find the pulmonary artery is the vena cava and where the venal cava should be is the pulmonary artery? I'm seeing specialist on Tuesday so have decided to stay off Google until then! x

[user1477282676]

Good plan Just remember how amazing the doctors are today....

[spotts]

I know they are amazing it's just the unknown at this stage that's the hardest part, too many what if's. Thankfully don't have too long to wait.

[user1477282676]

How long is it until your appointment?

[Frogqueen13]

Is it transposition of the greater arteries? It sound like it. It is a bit scary but it can be fixed so ficus on that and hold out til your appointment. Write down a list of questions and expect you baby to be in the neonatal unit if this is right for a period of time prior to surgery

Good look xx

[spotts]

Frogqueen13 - it's not been confirmed cas that yet but from what I've been told that seems to be the closest description of it. Writing down questions is a good idea so we'll cdo that.
user1477282676 - see specialist on Tuesday so not to long to wait.

[Kathysclown]

Although I don't have direct experience of this, a close friend's little one had a similar diagnosis (the major arteries were if the opposite positions, I think), and the baby had a successful heart operation at a few weeks old, and is now fully fit and healthy several years later.

[staceybumble]

Sounds like TAPVD (total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage) or PAPVD (partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage).
Means the blood from the lungs goes to the wrong side of the heart. You have 3 pulmonary arteries so severity depends on whether it's only one that is misplaced (partial) or if all of them are (total).
It can be fixed with surgical intervention after baby is born. If is TAPVD then is more life threatening and is done when baby is a matter of days old. The other can be fixed once baby has grown a little bigger.
I'm a cardiac nurse so know a lot about this stuff. It's a horrible position to be in, but be assured that paediatric heart surgery is incredibly advance nowadays so you can hope for a good outcome. Good luck, I hope everything goes ok.