Causes and signs of an additional chord in the heart cavity. Why is an additional chord in the heart dangerous for a child, causes and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of such an anomaly? Transverse chord in the heart

An additional chord in the heart is a pathology often found in children. But such a disease does not pose a great danger. The common chord is a muscle that connects the 2 opposite sides of the left ventricle of the heart.

The extra chord is superfluous in the left ventricle and has an atypical structure. As a rule, it is located in the left ventricle, much less often in the right. For a long time, doctors studied this anomaly of the location of the chord in the left ventricle. Experts came to the conclusion that the disease does not affect the functioning of the heart and does not pose an additional danger to life for the child.

Most often, the additional chord n located in the child's left ventricle, specialists find it much less often in adult patients. The disease is easier to detect in a child because a child's heart is small and the murmur in it is more easily distinguishable. When a chord is detected in the heart, the patient does not experience any preliminary symptoms.

Very often, doctors find the disease by accident, because when listening to the heart, murmurs are detected. If the cardiologist detects a heart murmur, the patient is given a referral for an ECG. After the procedure, the patient is diagnosed with a chord. In medicine, there are cases where the chord was false, but murmurs were still observed in the heart.

For what reasons does an additional chord appear in a child’s heart?

The cause of the disease is heredity. The disease is transmitted through the maternal line. Perhaps the child’s mother suffered from a similar disease or some other heart disease.

Treatment of an additional chord in the heart

This disease does not pose any danger. No special treatment is required. But if the disease is detected in the patient, he is prescribed a gentle lifestyle. The patient should have limited physical activity.

The doctor will prescribe quiet physical therapy. A sick person should never overexert himself physically. It is imperative that alternate work and rest.

A sick person must eat properly and follow a strict daily routine.

The doctor will prescribe treatment to stabilize the nervous system.

Nervous shock is contraindicated for a patient with this disease. It is mandatory to see a cardiologist twice a year. Noises, which arise due to the chord, may interfere with hearing other heart diseases, so it is better to see a doctor more often.

Children may experience abnormal chord disease. This is not such a terrible problem. A baby with accessory chord disease can be completely healthy and live for many years. Often this disease does not remind you of itself. There is no need to panic about this disease.

The main thing is to follow the correct daily routine and see a specialist regularly. It must be remembered that additional chordae are not considered diseases. Many doctors consider an additional chord in a child to be a normal deviation from the norm.

When discovered extra chord in the baby's heart, many parents cannot keep calm. Fathers and mothers frantically begin to look for hospitals and stand in line for a consultation with a pediatric cardiologist. In parallel with this, parents begin to independently familiarize themselves with the disease.

At the same time, parents constantly tug at their child. Instead of the baby fully developing and playing with his peers, parents constantly take him to doctors and clinics. The child is tortured with various tests and diagnostics. But is this disease worth the extra worry?

What is a chord for?

Heart valves are necessary for the functioning of blood flow. Thanks to them, mixing of arterial and venous blood does not occur. When the next pulsation of the heart valve occurs, it bends slightly, but does not open. This way the blood is contained. In order for this valve movement to occur, special mechanisms in the heart are used, called the notochord. In the human heart there are a number of chords, which are made up of muscle tissue.

If the chord has a high density, then it is better visible on ultrasound than the other chords.

The chordae found in the human body are divided into 2 categories:

1. Hemodynamics are not important.
2. Hemodynamics matter.
3. The notochord, in which hemodynamics does not matter, does not harm a person.
4. The second type requires specialized monitoring by a doctor.

What are the chords?

If an extra chord is found in a child, then it does not make itself known. She is found randomly when examined by a doctor. False chord is considered by doctors genetic disease, it is often inherited from the mother. The anomaly does not affect the functionality of the body. Doctors can only help by systematically examining the patient twice a year.

Thus, the development of pathological conditions is predetermined. The notochord originates in different chambers of the heart or ventricles. A large number of chords are located in the left ventricular valve. Chords have different directions:

1. Transverse.
2. Oblong.
3. Diagonal.

Doctors have noted cases where the anomaly has changed its location. Eighty percent of patients have a single chord and approximately 20% of others have multiple chords.

Why does pathology form?

The main reason why a chord is formed is considered to be a genetic factor. As a rule, the patient's mother suffered from cardiovascular disease. Therefore, her child has a risk of developing pathology. An anomaly can also form due to the influence unstable natural conditions.

Another reason may be a connection with mutagenic sources, which include tobacco toxins and drugs.

The cause of the child's illness can be alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Symptoms

A disease developing in the heart does not remind the patient of itself. The patient has been walking around with this pathology all his life, but he has no symptoms. Doctors suspect a pathology, When does a baby have an ultrasound? for the presence of systomic murmur. As a rule, the diagnosis is made in newborns or during early development. This includes a group of children under 3 years of age.

Doctors carry out statistics on how common the anomaly is. The disease is explained by recently introduced diagnostic and treatment standards. According to these requirements, every newborn must undergo an ECHO-CG at 1 month. When a pathology is detected, parents immediately report this disease. If a child develops intensively, then pathology in the heart may be noticed. Because with accelerated development, the load on the child’s body increases. In this case, the little patient feels the following:

1. Slight tingling in the heart.
2. Increased heart rate.
3. Weakness.
4. Increased fatigue.
5. Psycho-emotional lability.
6. Dizziness.

It may also differ for the child. abnormal heart rhythm. These signs are typical for teenagers suffering from the anomaly. If a person is found to have many chorts, then the doctor takes into account their location to the connective tissue. That is why signs can appear in other organs of the human body.

If in a person's heart An anomaly was detected by ultrasound, then the doctor has reason to assume that the connective tissue is not developing well in the body. Next, the doctor prescribes further examination for the patient by a cardiologist and pediatrician. Based on the analyzes obtained, the specialist can conclude: the anomaly is self-sufficient or it was formed as a result of damage to the connective tissue.

If the diagnosis is made based on the first sign, then the anomaly has no symptoms. In the second case, the anomaly is associated with other organs. In this case, the patient is prescribed a comprehensive diagnosis and observation 2 times a year by a specialist.

How is the disease treated?

The anomaly does not require treatment with drugs. Medicines are prescribed if the patient is diagnosed with clinical signs of accessory chord. The patient is also scheduled for observation by a cardiologist and an ECG.

Medications are prescribed if the patient exhibits symptoms that are related to cardiovascular function.

To ensure that the heart muscles are enriched with nutrients, the doctor prescribes the following vitamins:

1. Riboflavin.
2. Nicotinic acid.

These vitamins must be taken one course for a month. Such prophylaxis is prescribed 2 times a year. In order to normalize repolarization processes that have been disrupted due to abnormal heart rhythms, specialists prescribe medications with potassium and magnesium. This includes medications:

1. Magne B6. This drug must be taken once a month. It has contraindications for children under 6 years of age.
2. Magnerot, in a different way The drug is called "magnesium Orotate". This medication is prescribed in a course of 3–4 weeks. The drug is contraindicated for children under 18 years of age.
3. Potassium Orotate. It must be used for 3 or 5 weeks. This medication can be used for children. The dosage is prescribed by the therapist.
4. Panangin. This drug contains potassium and magnesium. It must be used within 1 month. In extreme cases, it is prescribed to children.

To increase metabolic processes in myocardial tissues, the following antioxidants are prescribed:

1. Cytochrome.
2. Ubiquinone.
3. Carnitine.

If symptoms of neurocirculatory dystonia are identified, the therapist prescribes medicinal nootropics. These include Piracetam and Nootropil. Treatment of the anomaly must necessarily be accompanied by preventive and general health measures. These include:

1. Hardening the body.
2. Balanced diet.
3. Use eat only healthy foods.
4. The patient needs to spend a lot of time outdoors.
5. You need to alternate rest with work.

A person who has been affected by an abnormality physical activity should be distributed Right. If the patient plans to take up gymnastics or dancing, then before doing so he should consult with his doctor. If a baby with a transverse chord is experiencing a disturbance in the rhythm of the heart or life - a dangerous condition, the child is urgently hospitalized. The baby will be examined in a special cardiology hospital.

Next, the patient will undergo the necessary examination and treatment will be prescribed. In rare cases, the false chord captures sections of the myocardial pathways. In this case, the patient is required to undergo surgery using the cryodestruction method. The operation is performed by cold destruction or excision.

Bottom line

Excess chorda disease does not pose a danger to life. If a child is diagnosed with a similar disease, then parents do not need to show unnecessary anxiety and panic. Chords are different.

According to the direction, the following are distinguished: transverse, diagonal and oblong. Some patients notice a change in the location of the chord. Genetics is considered a common cause of the disease.

Other causes of the disease: improper natural environment, during pregnancy the mother used tobacco or drugs. For a newborn at 1 month of age, doctors are required to prescribe an ultrasound of the heart. This procedure helps to exclude pathologies of the cardiovascular system. Diagnosis of the anomaly is as follows:

1. The doctor listens to the child.
2. If there is an extra chord in the body, then the cardiologist hears a heart murmur.
3. If an anomaly is detected, then the small patient is required to undergo a heart ultrasound.

As a rule, the baby does not need to use medications. If a disease is detected, the child needs to have an ECG and ultrasound of the heart twice a year.

According to research, an additional chord occurs in 22% of cases among the pediatric population. But this is only for individuals examined by echocardioscopy.

This additional chord is formed in the baby’s intrauterine heart at the 5th week of pregnancy.

Minor anomaly of cardiac development, or, as doctors like to write, MARS, is a group of anomalies in the development of cardiac structures with deviations from the normal structure, which do not lead to malfunctions. Consequently, there are no health complaints.

Our article will tell you about the features of cardiac structures, why an additional chord appears in a child’s heart and how to continue to live with it.

Anatomy of cardiac structures

The heart consists of chambers - the atria and ventricles, between which there are valves. Valves are necessary to prevent blood from flowing in the opposite direction. The opening and closing of the valves is regulated by special strings, or chords.

The normal chord is attached to the valve at both edges and participates in its operation. The additional chord differs in thickness and structure from other chords and, as a rule, is not completely attached to the valve and may not participate in its operation.

How can such a chord be dangerous? It may contain additional pathways and cause cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation or extrasystole. May change the speed of blood flow to the heart.

The ultrasound specialist must indicate in the conclusion which chord is hemodynamically significant and how it affects the contraction of cardiac structures.

If you do not perform ultrasound screening on your child, you may not even know about such a diagnosis.

By location:

By structure:

• fibrous;
• fibromuscular;
• muscular.

By placement in the heart:

• diagonal;
• longitudinal;
• transverse.

By quantity:

• single (in 70% of cases);
• multiple (in 30% of cases).

By participation in blood circulation in the chambers of the heart:

• hemodynamically significant. Affect blood flow and may interfere with heart function;
• hemodynamically insignificant. Usually considered as a variant of the norm, they do not harm the functioning of the heart.

At the reception there was a child, 7 years old, a boy. An ultrasound of the heart revealed a chord in the left ventricle. Mom said that she was also given this diagnosis, and her grandmother also has this heart anomaly.

The emergence of an additional chord also contributes to:

• smoking by mother during pregnancy;
• poor environmental situation;
• poor nutrition of the mother;
• stress.

Usually, if there is an abnormal chord in the left ventricle, children do not show any complaints.

If there is a chord in the right ventricle, several signs are possible:

It should also be borne in mind that these symptoms in most cases appear during physical activity.

Personal experience. As a rule, for every full consultation with a cardiologist, there is 1 child with an additional chord. In this case, no special complaints are presented, and the extra chord is an accidental finding. There was even a boy hockey player who did 3-4 hours of daily physical activity with LVDC (accessory chord of the left ventricle) and tolerated such stress very well. But it should be borne in mind that this is a chord in the left ventricle. I have never encountered an abnormal chord in the right ventricle in my practice.

Komarovsky E. O. about “famous chords in the heart”: “In my practice, I have encountered children who were randomly identified with chords in the heart on an ultrasound. If not for the ultrasound, then clinically these are absolutely healthy children. There is no need to treat them like sick children and limit their physical activity. They can become Olympic reserve athletes just like everyone else. The only thing they are not recommended to do is jump with a parachute and work as divers.”

Diagnostics

An additional chord is detected by ultrasound screening at 1 month of the child’s life.

Also, additional chords create a specific heart murmur, which, as a rule, can be heard well while lying down and disappears when the body position changes. In any case, if a murmur in the heart is detected, the doctor will refer the child for an ultrasound scan of this organ.

Also, if there is a risk of developing arrhythmia, it is necessary to conduct ECG monitoring annually. If changes are detected on the ECG, it is worth conducting a detailed examination - daily ECG monitoring.

There is no specific treatment.

No surgical intervention is required for an additional chord.

1. If a child complains, then treatment is symptomatic. Magnesium preparations; nootropics; drugs to improve blood circulation, which reduce the myocardial need for oxygen and normalize metabolic processes in heart cells.

2. Daily physical activity is necessary for normal heart function:

3. Nutrition should consist of saturating the diet with foods rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium:

• dried apricots;
• fermented milk products;
• baked potatoes;
• cheeses;
• raisins, dried fruits;
• bananas;
• nuts.

4. It is necessary to exclude prolonged contact with computers and phones.

5. A child’s healthy sleep of 8 hours a night is important.

Such a child should undergo an annual echocardioscopy, ECG and visit a pediatric cardiologist.

The additional chord of the left ventricle is a normal variant and, without any clinical manifestations, does not require drug correction. There is no need to panic if such a conclusion is written on the ultrasound, but it is better to contact a pediatric cardiologist who will tell you in detail what to do with the extra chord.

Medical opinions will differ regarding the accessory chord of the left ventricle. It can be considered an anomaly, however? it does not harm a person’s health if he adheres to certain conditions, but if rules are established, is there a danger?

Any deviation from the norm in the structure of internal organs causes fear, mostly due to ignorance of certain facts. And if parents are informed of the diagnosis “false or additional chord in the child’s heart,” then restless nights and stormy experiences are simply guaranteed for all the child’s family. False chords, what are they – let’s try to find out...

When answering this question, you should “look” into the structure of the heart and know how it works. I remember a school biology course: the heart consists of 4 chambers, respectively 2 atria, 2 ventricles, blood moves from the atria to the ventricles, valves between the sections direct the blood, regulating blood flow. Chords are special threads that support the valves; they are a kind of “gateway” that allows fluid to pass into the ventricles, preventing it from pouring back out.

This is how the heart works without anomalies, what does the additional chord in the left ventricle change? The accessory chord is formed from connective tissue and is considered a slight deviation from the norm that does not play a special role in the functioning of the heart. The moment of formation occurs during pregnancy; some scientists name the causes of the formation of the left ventricular chord:

• heredity;
• unfavorable environment – ​​poor ecology, exposure to harmful factors;
• smoking by the expectant mother, drinking alcohol;
• consumption of genetically modified products.

It is the last point, as most scientists believe, that leads to the appearance of various defects and abnormalities in the development of organs during pregnancy. The hereditary factor is the first on the list of causes of the occurrence of a false chord of the left ventricle of the heart; it is transmitted through the maternal line; in 90% of cases, the baby will have extra chords in the cavity of the heart. Drug addiction, smoking, and alcoholism themselves have a destructive effect on the body; they change DNA, causing it to mutate, resulting in the appearance of “extra” organs, anomalies, and defects in newborns.

You should know some points: such chords - LVDC or LCD, as they are usually abbreviated, are classified according to the direction of fiber growth. LVDC with longitudinal fibers does not interfere with the work of the heart muscles at all, but transverse fibers can provoke the occurrence of some heart diseases and interfere with the work of the heart.

Symptoms of the anomaly

An abnormal chord of the left ventricle is detected in newborns almost immediately, at first, various studies are done, including ultrasound of the child’s heart. If this fact was missed, then there are symptoms that can be used to suspect falsehood:

• the emotional state is unstable, children are often capricious;
• dull chest pain;
• arrhythmia and interruptions are heard;
• the child gets tired very quickly, becomes lethargic, weak when performing simple movements.

At the doctor’s appointment, the mother is obliged to talk in detail not only about the issues related to the baby’s health, an abnormal chord of the left ventricle or ARV, a hereditary disease, of course, the mother may have no idea about the presence of this defect in her. It would be right for each of the parents to undergo examinations; this will help diagnose abnormal chords in each, which will greatly facilitate the diagnosis. An ultrasound of the heart will show all changes, if any, in a few minutes.

An additional chord in the heart is an almost harmless phenomenon, but additional chords can already pose a serious threat to the entire body. Such cases make up 20% of the overall picture; they are detected by ultrasound examinations, ECG with stress for the patient, and heart murmurs are clearly and distinctly audible.

Connective tissue is a component of the notochord and can be located in other organs, bones, and muscles. Doctors agree that such a defect is caused by magnesium deficiency during pregnancy, which will result in the development of connective tissue dysplasia. The symptoms of this serious disease are easy to identify:

• developmental disorders of the spine;
• dental anomaly, malocclusion;
• “cleft lip”, “cleft palate” - jaw defects;
• deformities of legs, arms;
• heart defects.

There is no treatment for such a disease, there are only recommendations to make life easier with serious congenital defects...

An abnormally located chord will not provoke the development of dysplasia; this defect is not so dangerous for the body, although the owner of this anomaly will have to change their lifestyle. A false chord in the heart can be located in the right ventricle, the symptoms are the same - fatigue, lethargy, pain in the heart. Is this arrangement of the chord dangerous? Statistics show the possible development of heart disease in adulthood, but the percentage of such an outcome is relatively small.

The chords have different locations in the muscles of the heart; the possible observation of the patient will depend on what type and where it is located. The following types are distinguished:

1. Apical.
2. Middle ones.
3. Basal.

Practice shows that patients with a basal location of the chords more often suffer from pain in the heart area and other symptoms inherent in this defect; the apical and middle chords practically do not bother the person and can be invisible for a long time.

Prevention of excess chord

An extra chord in the heart does not make a child disabled or an outcast; he is obliged to communicate with other children and live a full, happy life. There will be small restrictions set by the pediatrician and cardiologist. An important role is played by the child’s general well-being, the state of immunity, and the presence of other diseases.

Weak immunity needs to be strengthened, the baby will have to exercise and harden, and a weak body will not be able to withstand even light loads. Scientists have not been able to invent a treatment for a disease such as chord in the cavity of the left ventricle; pharmacy kiosks do not sell a panacea for it. Surgical intervention, which is the excision of the problematic chord, is extremely rare; such a radical solution to the situation is resorted to if the ARH consists of longitudinal fibers and causes strong changes in the functioning of the cardiac apparatus.

There are situations in which the symptoms are particularly pronounced, the chord in the cavity of the left ventricle exhausts the person (fatigue, severe weakness), the cardiologist will prescribe a course of treatment with vitamins B1, B12, pacemakers, and antioxidants.

A false chord of the left ventricle in a baby will slightly change the rhythm of his life, and parents must understand and accept some rules:

• limit strong physical activity;
• active sports are excluded;
• protect the child from negative influences, avoid stressful situations.

Active sports activities are prohibited, but this does not mean their complete absence; on the contrary, a sedentary lifestyle can negatively affect well-being and lead to other diseases. Excess weight and metabolic disorders pose such a danger; these ailments will increase the load on the heart and aggravate the situation.

Physical therapy is recommended; hoop exercises are very useful; they develop joint flexibility and strengthen the muscles of the back and waist. Exercises on the wall bars will strengthen the muscles of the arms and legs, and will help develop finger motor skills. Jumping rope for a short time, rope climbing, and playing ball are allowed, but football, basketball and volleyball are not for children with this anomaly. An excellent solution for parents would be to introduce their child to dancing; ballet is excluded; light types of ballroom dancing will only be beneficial and will entertain the little patient.

The diet should be rich in vitamins, vitamin B1 is especially useful; it will eliminate lethargy, fatigue, drowsiness, increase alertness and strengthen the nervous system. Contained in nuts, pistachios, cilantro, beans, sunflower seeds. Vitamin B2 will help strengthen muscles and relieve joint pain and must be present on the table in the form of cheese, eggs, and veal. Microelements potassium and magnesium can be taken as vitamins, or you can replace them with healthy foods - figs, dried fruits, dried apricots. Magnesium is found in strawberries, apricots, and peaches. Proper nutrition will be tasty and healthy for the patient, strengthen his immune system, and replenish the body with missing vitamins.

An additional chord discovered during diagnosis in the heart of a child or adult is not a serious abnormality. It is perceived as a minor anomaly that rarely leads to complications. Causal factors and probable symptoms that appear when there are disruptions in hemodynamics (blood flow) will help you understand the features of the pathology. Treatment is prescribed only in the presence of clinical manifestations and an increased risk of complications.

The chordae are tendinous threads of equal thickness and size, consisting of muscle and connective tissue and connecting the valve apparatus and the ventricle. When they contract, they pull the valve leaflets towards themselves, which promotes the formation of a gap and the release of blood from the atria. During relaxation, the passage is closed. The additional (false) chord does not perform its intended functions. It has an atypical structure and can connect to the ventricle or valve at only one end.

The abnormal chord has a code according to the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) 10th revision Q20.9. It stands for Congenital Abnormalities of the Heart Chambers. “False chord” is not considered as an independent pathological process. It is divided according to its location in the cardiac cavities as follows:

• Direction:
  • transverse;
  • diagonal;
  • longitudinal
• By location in departments:
  • right ventricular;
  • left ventricular.
• Depending on quantity:
  • single;
  • multiple.
• By location in the ventricle:
  • basal;
  • apical;
  • median.

An extra chord in the heart usually does not pose a particular danger, but whether this is so depends on the hemodynamic significance. Transverse tendon threads can disrupt the flow of blood, which will lead to various consequences (stroke, arrhythmia, heart block). Multiple chordae are no less dangerous, as they are perceived as a sign of genetic pathologies.

In most cases, a single left ventricular filament is detected in newborns during an ultrasound examination of the heart. Sometimes it is noticed in the fetus in the womb during routine diagnostics. In adults, its detection is associated with a medical examination or the occurrence of cardiac symptoms.

False tendon filaments in infants are often combined with other minor anomalies of the heart structure:

• excess trabecula;
• open oval window;
• insufficiency of valve apparatus.

Unlike other anomalies, the patent oval window closes with age. Only in rare cases does it remain forever.

A well-known pediatrician, E. O. Komarovsky, commented on the presence of “false chords” in babies. According to the expert, the baby will not experience any discomfort. This anomaly is more an individual feature than a serious defect. Only in exceptional cases, in the presence of many tendon threads, is it possible that hemodynamic disturbances may occur. Treatment will be aimed at stabilizing the heart. Single chords do not require any treatment regimen or restrictions regarding the type of activity, sports or diet.

Causes

An additional chord in a child’s heart appears in the womb due to certain factors:

Cause	Description
Hereditary predisposition	The presence of false tendon threads or other heart ailments in one of the parents is the main cause of abnormalities in their baby.
Bad habits	A woman who drinks alcohol, drugs and smokes cigarettes during pregnancy significantly increases the likelihood of developmental defects in the unborn child, affecting not only the heart.
Poor environmental situation	Polluted air and water contribute to the formation of abnormalities in the baby during intrauterine development.

Clinical picture

One extra chord in the left ventricle rarely manifests itself. The situation is different if the filament is located transversely in the right ventricle, or if there are quite a lot of them. The patient begins to experience discomfort associated with impaired hemodynamics and heart function in general:

• fatigue;
• irregular heartbeat;
• stabbing chest pain;
• mood swings;
• general weakness;
• dizziness.

Signs are most often detected during adolescence. The child begins a stage of intensive muscle and bone growth, which puts additional stress on the heart. If they are detected, it is necessary to register with a cardiologist so that he can monitor the development of the situation and take timely measures to stabilize the condition.

Diagnostic methods

A cardiologist should be involved in identifying excess chordae and drawing up a treatment regimen. They are detected using instrumental diagnostic methods and by auscultation (listening to noises):

• Ultrasound examination (ultrasound) allows you to visualize the structure of the heart and examine hemodynamic features.
• Auscultation helps to hear diastolic murmurs arising from the accessory chord.
• Electrocardiography (ECG) displays the electrical activity of the heart and allows you to see possible impulse conduction abnormalities.

Additionally, the doctor may prescribe daily ECG monitoring and bicycle ergometry. The first examination helps to obtain accurate data on the work of the heart muscle throughout the day. The second test is carried out to evaluate her response to physical activity.

An identified extra chord in a child’s heart may gradually “disappear.” The baby is actively growing, which leads to a displacement of the anomaly. Instrumental diagnostic methods will confirm its absence. A treatment plan will not be drawn up. In conclusion, the doctor will indicate that the heart is without pathologies.

Course of therapy

In the absence of symptoms of disruptions in blood flow, there is no point in treating the anomaly. A person will have to undergo an ultrasound and ECG annually and, with the results obtained, make an appointment with a cardiologist to monitor the condition of the heart muscle.

If the clinical picture of a hemodynamic disorder is still present, then drug therapy is prescribed:

• Preparations rich in B vitamins (“Neurovitan”, “Superum”) are involved in nervous regulation, increase cellular metabolism and stop the development of atherosclerosis.
• Tablets containing magnesium and potassium (Asparkam, Orocamag) help stabilize blood pressure, vascular tone and neuromuscular transmission.
• Antioxidants (“q-Protect”, “Resveratrol”) prevent the development of atherosclerosis, normalize heart function and stimulate metabolic processes in the myocardium.
• Medicines with nootropic effects (Aniracetam, Semax) are used to improve cognitive abilities and increase tolerance to stress (physical, mental). They are also used to relieve signs of VSD against the background of severe hemodynamic disturbances.

Antiarrhythmic and other cardiac medications are prescribed by the attending physician depending on the patient’s condition. To complement the therapy regimen, you should follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle:

With the development of various life-threatening conditions, the patient must be hospitalized. They are usually the result of multiple or transverse accessory chordae. In a hospital setting, a detailed examination will be carried out and treatment will be prescribed.

Surgery is required if the accessory tendon thread disrupts the conduction of impulses and leads to severe disruptions in blood flow. Doctors will perform a procedure of cryodestruction (destruction of tissue by exposure to cold) or excision of the chord.

Possibility of complications

It is impossible to predict in advance whether an additional chord will lead to the development of disruptions in the functioning of the heart or not.

The most favorable prognosis is in the presence of an anomaly in the left ventricle.

In most cases, it does not lead to pathological changes and does not require treatment. The use of medications to improve the functioning of the heart muscle significantly reduces the likelihood of complications. The only thing to be wary of is transverse and multiple tendon strands. They have the most unfavorable prognosis.

Military service

In the presence of a single false chord, young people who have reached the age of 18 are still drafted into the army for service. Representatives of the medical commission believe that it will not have any effect on well-being during the next year of life. The conscript does not need to undergo treatment in a hospital setting. He will be able to follow orders and engage in physical training on an equal basis with other military personnel. A contraindication to service in the armed forces is an abnormal heart rhythm and other severe complications caused by the anomaly.

Excess chords in the ventricles of the heart muscle are perceived by specialists as a minor anomaly that does not require treatment and does not limit human life. It is enough to do an ultrasound every year to monitor its development. If signs of disruption in hemodynamics and arrhythmia occur, drug therapy is prescribed. If it does not help to achieve relief of the condition, then surgical intervention will be required.

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Among the large number of different variants of congenital defects (MARS) are prognostically favorable types of cardiac pathology. An additional chord in the heart of a child is an extra anatomical formation inside the ventricular cavity, which extremely rarely creates a danger to life. Typically, abnormally located connective tissue cords (trabeculae, chords) are an incidental finding during ultrasound examination of the heart in a fetus, child or adult. In most cases, no special treatment is required, especially if it is a single additional trabecula that does not affect the circulatory system.

What are the causative factors for the appearance of extra trabeculae?

Connective tissue cords, attached on one side to the papillary muscles, and on the other to the valves between the atria and ventricles, perform the most important function of fixing the atrioventricular valves. In the first stages of embryonic development, the notochords look like fleshy trabeculae, and then turn into thin fibrous cords and threads. Several extra trabeculae or a single one in the heart cavity occurs due to the following reasons:

• genetically determined congenital pathology;
• hereditary connective tissue dysplasia;
• disturbances in the development of the embryo and fetus caused by external damaging factors (embryopathy, fetopathy).

The risk of developing MARS in the fetus (absence of one leaflet, enlargement or displacement of the valve) increases against the background of the following factors:

• consumption of alcohol-containing drinks by a pregnant woman;
• a viral infection suffered during gestation;
• uncontrolled use of medications during pregnancy;
• the impact of occupational hazards in the 1st trimester;
• exposure to low doses of radiation.

The most dangerous period for the development of cardiac pathology in the prenatal period is the first 12 weeks of gestation: a woman can ignore a delay in menstruation, continuing to lead her usual lifestyle, which can lead to intrauterine heart pathology.

What pathology options are possible?

All excess trabeculae within the heart are separated depending on number, tissue composition and location.

1. By quantity:

• single;
• multiple.

1. According to its location in the cardiac chambers, the chord can be:

• right ventricular;

1. By location in the ventricle:

• apical;
• median;
• basal.

1. In the direction of fibrous fibers:

• diagonal;
• longitudinal;
• transverse

1. According to the composition they are distinguished:

• fibrous;
• fibromuscular;
• muscular.

A common variant is a left ventricular single chord, which does not have a negative effect on cardiac activity. It is imperative to evaluate the thickness of the trabecula in the heart chamber, which can be from 0.5 to 2.5 mm.

What are the diagnostic methods

The absence of complaints and symptoms of cardiac pathology is very common: an adult may first learn about the presence of a minor cardiac anomaly during preventive echocardiography. In children, autonomic dysfunctions are possible, which cannot be an objective and accurate sign of pathology. As the child’s body grows and against the background of sports activities, the following complaints may appear:

• pressing or aching pain in the left side of the chest;
• feeling of rapid heartbeat with light exertion;
• dizziness;
• rapid onset of fatigue and general weakness;
• emotional and psychological disorders.

An experienced therapist or cardiologist, through auscultation, will be able to detect a noise of a musical timbre of moderate intensity, which changes with physical activity or a change in body position. Identification of this sign in a child is the basis for the following studies:

• electrocardiography;
• ultrasound scan of the heart;
• Doppler.

Typical ECG signs are:

• , indicating acceleration of atrioventricular impulse conduction;
• , increasing the risk of ventricular tachycardia;
• arrhythmic disorders (, ectopic rhythm).

Multiple chords in the left ventricle, especially those located transversely, can create a lot of problems with the functional activity of the ventricles in diastole. This will be the main factor in reducing tolerance to physical activity: sports with this variant of MARS are contraindicated.

During an ultrasound, the doctor will see the following signs:

• the presence of thin and dense linear structures and formations that have no connection with the atrioventricular valve;
• increased echo density of muscle tissue at the attachment points of the notochord, due to local;
• acceleration of blood flow in the extra chord, detected by Doppler.

The detection of a false trabecula in the heart is the basis for a complete diagnosis of the child’s body: the presence of MARS indicates the likely presence of congenital anomalies in other organs and systems.

How can an abnormality in the heart be treated?

The absence of symptoms and normal heart function against the background of additional trabeculae in the ventricle requires medical supervision without drug therapy. Preventive measures and restrictions on physical activity will be mandatory. Symptomatic drug treatment is carried out for arrhythmias and surgical intervention for excision or cryodestruction of the chord is necessary for conditions that threaten the child’s life. In each specific case, treatment methods are selected individually depending on the type of pathology, the severity of symptoms and the possible risk of complications.

What is the danger to life

A single cord in the absence of blood flow disturbances does not threaten the baby in any way. But if MARS is detected in a child, medical supervision must be continued to prevent the following complications:

• infective endocarditis;
• intracardiac thromboembolism;
• pathology of rhythm and conduction.