At one time, such a pathology as a heart hump was a fairly common occurrence. Despite the fact that such cases are rare in the modern world, many people are interested in additional information about the mechanism and causes of the formation of pathology.
What is the hump of the heart?
In fact, even 300-400 years ago, such a violation would hardly have surprised anyone. A heart hump is essentially a chest deformity in which the sternum and ribs bulge forward and the shoulder blades and collarbones rise.
Fortunately, modern medicine provides new opportunities for diagnosis and treatment, and therefore such chest deformities are extremely rare (mainly in places with undeveloped / inaccessible medicine or in people who, for one reason or another, do not accept medical help).
How does a hump form?
Heart hump is the result of congenital or acquired heart defects in early childhood. The fact is that some diseases cause ventricular hypertrophyhearts. Due to the increase in myocardial mass, the push during contraction becomes much stronger, which, in fact, causes deformation of the sternum.
It is worth noting that a real hump in the chest area can only form in early childhood. During this period, the ribs and sternum have not yet gone through a period of ossification and consist mainly of elastic cartilaginous tissues, which are much more easily amenable to various physical changes and deformations. In adult patients, the chest with hypertrophic heart disease practically does not change.
The bulge in the sternum can be localized in the center, shifted to the left or right, depending on changes in the heart muscle. In any case, having noticed such an education in a child, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Main causes of chest deformity
As already mentioned, a heart hump indicates a severe, usually congenital heart disease. This organ during embryonic development is known to be formed from the aortic trunk. Under the influence of certain factors, the formation can be disrupted. For example, the interatrial and interventricular septum of the heart is quite often deformed. Among the common defects of this body include the open Botall duct.
Not in all cases it is possible to determine the exact cause of the development of heart disease, especially when it comes to their congenital forms. Only a few risk factors can be identified. For example, intoxication of the body is considered dangerous for the fetus.mothers with alcohol, nicotine and drugs during pregnancy. Anomalies can also develop in case of chronic poisoning of the mother with aggressive chemicals (observed, for example, when working in hazardous industries).
The reasons include infectious diseases transferred during childbearing, including herpes, rubella. The lack of proteins and vitamins in the diet of a future mother can lead to improper formation of muscle tissue. In fact, it is simply impossible to calculate all risk factors.
What does the diagnostic process look like?
It's no secret that in most cases chest deformity is associated with injuries or diseases of the musculoskeletal system. That is why it is important to conduct a thorough diagnosis in order to determine the presence of a real heart hump and establish the cause of its appearance.
If you examine the auscultation points of the heart, you will notice that the apex beat in the area of the sixth or seventh hypochondrium is enhanced. Often, diseases of the cardiovascular system are accompanied by swelling of the veins of the neck and increased pulsation in the vessels, which can be easily felt through the skin and subcutaneous tissues. It is worth paying attention to the presence of cyanosis - the skin of the face and lips of the child acquires a characteristic bluish tint.
More useful information is given by palpation of the heart. Fingers can feel "trembling" in the chest area. In addition, the specialist may notice a strong push during systole, as a result of which the chest rises. Palpation of the heart gives the doctorreason to suspect the presence of heart disease in a small patient. Further, other important diagnostic measures are carried out, including x-rays of the chest and spine, ultrasound examination of blood vessels and the heart. Blood tests and rheumatic tests are also carried out.
Is it possible for the manifestation of pathology in adulthood?
As already mentioned, the hump of the heart, as a rule, manifests itself in childhood. However, some diseases of the cardiovascular system can cause chest deformity even in adults.
For example, some forms of exudative pericarditis are accompanied by protrusion of the intercostal spaces. The symptoms of this disease look a little different. For example, in order to examine the auscultation points of the heart, the patient must be seated. It can be seen that the apical impulse is significantly weakened. Heart sounds are muffled, and on examination, you can hear the sounds of pericardial friction.
Another cause of chest changes is an aortic aneurysm. As a rule, such a disease develops in adulthood. Sometimes an aneurysm can be seen even with a visual examination - it has a rounded shape, the bone tissue above it atrophies, and the skin acquires a reddish tint. This disease is an indication for surgical intervention.
What treatments does modern medicine offer?
Naturally, to begin with, the cardiologist conducts a complete examination, examines the area of the child's heart, makesnecessary tests, etc. The formation of a hump indicates the presence of serious heart disease, which in itself is an indication for surgery.
If surgical treatment is carried out in time, then the deformity of the chest can still be corrected, then the bones will develop according to the standard scenario. In the event that the hump cannot be eliminated naturally, a decision is made to plastically restore the normal forms of the sternum and ribs.
