The embryology of congenital heart defects.

The embryological development of the heart is an awesome and complex process. The heart is formed from groups of cells that coalesce into sheets of tissue. These sheets fuse to form a tube that grows into the atria and ventricles. The twists and turns of the developing heart tissue and the simultaneous septation of atria, ventricles, and truncus, along with a shifting of the atrioventricular canal and conus then position the portions of the heart in alignment to allow normal blood flow. Errors at any stage of embryological formation can result in specific congenital defects. Understanding the development of the heart in utero can provide the pediatric nurse a basis for understanding the physiological effects of embryological failures that result in congenital heart defects in the infant and child.