A hole in the heart is most commonly referred to as a ventricular septal defect (VSD).
A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a type of congenital heart defect. This means it's a heart condition that a baby is born with. In a VSD, there's an abnormal opening (a hole) in the septum, which is the wall separating the two lower pumping chambers of the heart, called the ventricles. This hole allows blood to flow abnormally from the left ventricle to the right ventricle.
- Ventricular: Refers to the ventricles, the two lower chambers of the heart.
- Septal: Refers to the septum, the wall dividing the left and right ventricles.
- Defect: Refers to the abnormality, the hole in the septum.
Depending on the size of the hole, a VSD can range from being a small, insignificant issue that closes on its own, to a large, serious problem requiring medical or surgical intervention.
