Tetralogy of Fallot, also called TOF, is a congenital heart disease. A congenital heart disease is one that a person is born with. TOF is the most common heart disease that causes cyanosis (bluish color of the skin).

3. Tetralogy of Fallot, which is one of the most
common congenital heart disorders, comprises
right ventricular (RV) outflow tract obstruction
(RVOTO) (infundibular stenosis),
ventricular septal defect (VSD), aorta
dextroposition, and RV hypertrophy.

4. The mortality rate in untreated patients reaches 50% by age 6 years,
but in the present era of cardiac surgery, children with simple forms of
tetralogy of Fallot enjoy good long-term survival with an excellent
quality of life.

5. Signs and symptoms
The clinical features of tetralogy of Fallot are
directly related to the severity of the anatomic
defects. Infants often display the following:

Difficulty with feeding

Failure to thrive

Episodes of bluish pale skin during crying
or feeding (ie, "Tet" spells)

Exertional dyspnea, usually worsening with
age

6. Tetralogy of Fallot involves four heart defects:

A large ventricular septal defect (VSD)

Pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) stenosis

Right ventricular hypertrophy (hi-PER-tro-
fe)

An overriding aorta

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