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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffMany people with mild Ebstein's anomaly have few complications. However, you may need to take some precautions in certain situations:
- Being active. If you have mild Ebstein's anomaly with a nearly normal heart size and no heart rhythm disturbances, you can probably participate in most physical activities. Depending on your signs and symptoms, your doctor may recommend that you avoid competitive sports, such as football or basketball. Your doctor can help you decide which activities are right for you.
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During pregnancy. In many cases, women with mild Ebstein's anomaly can safely have children. But pregnancy does have risks. If you plan on becoming pregnant, be sure to talk to your doctor ahead of time. He or she can tell you if it's safe for you to become pregnant and help decide how much extra monitoring you may need throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
Being pregnant puts additional strain on your heart and circulatory system not only during pregnancy, but also during labor and delivery and for a period of time after your baby's birth. There is an increased risk of stroke if you have a hole between the upper chambers of the heart (atrial septal defect). Rarely, women with Ebstein's anomaly develop severe complications that can cause death during pregnancy.
Other complications that may result from Ebstein's anomaly include heart failure, heart rhythm problems and, less commonly, sudden cardiac arrest or stroke.
- Argwala BN, et al. Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 13, 2010.
- Ebstein's anomaly. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11075. Accessed July 17, 2010.
- Other less common congenital cardiac anomalies. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec19/ch287/ch287n.html#sec19-ch287-ch287l-2252i. Accessed July 17, 2010.
- Attenhofer JCH, et al. Ebstein's anomaly. Circulation. 2007;115:277.
- Brown ML, et al. Functional status after operation for Ebstein anomaly: The Mayo Clinic experience. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2008;52:460.
- Gurvitz M, et al. Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve. Current Cardiology Reports. 2007;9:336.
- Brown ML, et al. The outcomes of operations for 539 patients with Ebstein anomaly. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2008;135:1120.
- Dearani JA, et al. Surgical advances in the treatment of adults with congenital heart disease. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2009;21:565.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 21, 2010.
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