Crouching position

The so-called squatting position typically occurs in congenital heart defects with a right-to-left shunt , such as tetralogy of Fallot (Menche 2020).

The typical squatting position is found in affected children from infancy (Herold 2019). However, this squatting position is rarely seen nowadays, as early surgical treatment is usually performed in infancy (Bertram 2021).

The squatting position is typical for children with a congenital right-left shunt, such as in tetralogy of Fallot (Menche 2020)

The squatting position increases the system resistance. Both the preload and the afterload of the left ventricle increase abruptly (Kasper 2015) This leads to an increase in lung perfusion and thus to an increase in oxygen saturation (Herold 2019).

If a child with a congenital right-to-left shunt suffers a hypoxic seizure, the squatting position or simulation of the squatting position (by holding the child in the arm and bending both knee joints) can lead to an improvement in oxygen supply (Stierle 2017).

1. Bertram H, Rickers C, Eicken A, Rüffer A, Diller G P (2021) Tetralogy of Fallot. S2k guideline, AWMF Register - No. 023- 015
2. Herold G et al (2019) Internal medicine. Herold publishing house 195 - 198
3. Kasper D L, Fauci A S, Hauser S L, Longo D L, Jameson J L, Loscalzo J et al. (2015) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Mc Graw Hill Education 51e- 4
4. Menche N (2020) White Series: Internal Medicine. Elsevier Urban and Fischer Publishers Germany 50 - 51
5. Stierle U et al (2017) Clinical guide to cardiology. Elsevier Urban and Fischer 272 - 276