"The defect is named after Frank A Gerbode (1907-1984), an American cardiothoracic surgeon, who described the surgical closure of the defect in a series of patients in 1958 10. However, the first description of the defect was over a century prior to this, in 1838 by John Thurnam (1810-1873), an English physician 11."
"Eisenmenger phenomenon is a theoretical complication"
Expected headings
"Associations"
"Complications"
"Clinical presentation varies depending on the size and resultant severity of the defect 1,2,4-6. Small lesions with minimal shunting may be asymptomatic, however, large lesions with ample shunting may cause signs of heart failure such as exertional dyspnoea, raised jugular venous pressure, hepatomegaly, peripheral oedema, or failure to thrive in paediatric patients 1,2,4-6. Cyanosis is generally not seen in patients with Gerbode defects 1,2,4-6. Praecordial auscultation is indistinguishable to that of ventricular septal defects, with a pansystolic murmur heard over the left sternal border 1,2,4-6,12."
"The chest radiograph can be normal with a small Gerbode defect, and may only be abnormal with large defects. In these cases, cardiomegaly and pulmonary plethora may be appreciated on the plain radiograph 8,12."