What is Interrupted Aortic Arch (IAA)?
Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is a rare disorder involving two separate defects. Primarily, the aortic arch has not formed a full tube and is split, or interrupted. The aortic arch is the portion of the aorta (major blood vessel carrying oxygen-laden blood to the body from the heart) which curves over the heart and starts the descent to the lower portion of the body. Next, there exists a hole, known as the ventricular septal defect (VSD) in the muscle wall of the heart that splits the two ventricles or pumping chambers in the heart.
Due to the fact that the aorta is blocked and unable to bring blood from the left ventricle to the lower portion of the body like a normal heart does, it may appear that an infant with this disorder will not be able to survive. Some blood is able to enter the lower portion of the aorta due to a small vessel known as the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) which attaches the lower portion of the aorta with the pulmonary artery.
Typically the pulmonary artery brings oxygen-low blood to the lungs, therefore making it appear that blood entering the lower aorta from such a vessel wouldn’t have enough oxygen, but in this case, the ventricular septal defect (VSD) allows the mixture of oxygen-laden blood from the left ventricle into the right ventricle, which brings blood inside the pulmonary artery.
Interrupted Aortic Arch (IAA) Symptoms
Patients suffering from interrupted aortic arch (IAA) may experience some or all of the following symptoms:
- Trouble feeding
- Bluish skin, lips or nails (cyanosis)
- Getting tired easily
- Weakness
- Fast heartbeat
- Working hard to breathe
Interrupted Aortic Arch and Wellbutrin
Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is a rare congenital birth defect. Recent studies have brought forth evidence that suggests that certain heart disorders such as interrupted aortic arch may be caused by the use of particular antidepressants such as Wellbutrin during all or part of pregnancy.
Wellbutrin Birth Defects Lawsuit: Speak to an Attorney
Many new parents ask themselves what was the cause of my child’s birth defects? Did it happen during pregnancy? The antidepressant Wellbutrin may be linked to causing the development of birth defects in unborn babies, infants, and children when their mothers took antidepressants while pregnant.
Our law firm is handling individual birth defect lawsuits against drug and pharmaceutical companies and currently accepting new Wellbutrin cases across the nation. If your child was born with a birth injury that you believe may have been caused by taking an antidepressant like Wellbutrin during pregnancy, then you should contact our law firm as soon as possible for a free confidential review of your potential birth defect lawsuit case. All cases are handled on a Contingency Fee Basis (no attorney’s fees or expenses charged unless we recover for you.