Peripheral pulmonary stenosis (1651)
Key points below
What is peripheral pulmonary stenosis (PPS)?
PPS is an innocent heart murmur found in infants. It is also known as pulmonary branch stenosis.
- Innocent means it is not harmful.
- Peripheral pulmonary branches are the blood vessels that take blood from the heart to the lungs.
- Stenosis means the blood vessels are narrow.
- Murmurs are extra sounds from the heart.
It is most common in premature babies or babies born with a low birth weight. However, it can also occur in full-term babies.
What causes it?
Before babies are born, they do not breathe. Very little blood flows to the lungs and through the blood vessels that supply the lungs. Without blood flow, the vessels are bent and narrow.
When the baby is born, blood flow to the lungs increases. Because the vessels are bent, the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs is not smooth. PPS is the extra sound heard because blood is flowing through the bent vessels.
How does PPS affect my baby?
PPS will not harm your baby. Tests are normally not needed. There are no special signs or symptoms to watch for.
How is it treated?
PPS does not need to be treated. As your baby grows, the vessels straighten out and grow. Blood flow from the heart to the lungs is then smoother. At that point the heart murmur will go away. A PPS murmur is normally gone by the time a baby is 6 to 12 months old.