Pulmonary atresia

Pulmonary atresia is a condition where blood cannot flow between the right pumping chamber (right ventricle) into the lungs to pick up oxygen. 

Often, this is because the large blood vessel that carries blood to the lungs (the pulmonary artery) hasn’t developed properly, and the right ventricle is smaller than usual. The valve linking the right ventricle and the right filling chamber (atria) may also be narrowed or closed.

Pulmonary atresia is a form of congenital heart disease – a term used to describe a problem with the heart’s structure and function due to abnormal development before birth.

Our Cardiorespiratory Unit regularly refer to information published by the British Heart Foundation (BHF)  and the Children's Heart Federation when explaining pulmonary atresia to our patients and their families.

Visit the BHF website to download:

• Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum factsheet (PDF)
• Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect factsheet (PDF)