The problem is often not severe at birth but can get worse over time. If untreated, the heart may not be able to pump blood effectively to the lungs and body.
DCRV is often found along with other congenital heart defects.
How the Right Ventricle Normally Works
The heart has four chambers that work together to move blood through the body. Two chambers receive blood and two pump blood out.
The right ventricle pumps blood from the heart to the lungs through the pulmonary artery. In the lungs, blood picks up oxygen before returning to the heart.
For the body to work well, blood must move easily through the heart and lungs. When something blocks this pathway, the heart must work harder to push blood forward.
What Happens in Double Chamber Right Ventricle?
In DCRV, abnormal muscle tissue develops inside the right ventricle, forming a band that divides it into two areas.
The muscle band narrows the pathway blood uses to leave the ventricle. As a result, pressure builds up in the part of the ventricle before the blockage, while the other section remains at a lower pressure. As a child grows, the muscle bundles may thicken, making the blockage worse.
Unlike other conditions that block blood leaving the heart (right ventricular outflow tract obstruction), this blockage happens inside the right ventricle itself.
