title: Early results with the anatomical correction of transposition of the great arteries.
abstract: From November 1984 to April 1991, 38 children underwent an arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries (TGA). In 24 infants (mean age 8 days) TGA with intact ventricular septum was present, in 14 patients (mean age 75 days) TGA was combined with a ventricular septal defect (VSD). There were 11 in-hospital deaths with an overall mortality of 29%, mainly due to technical problems. Whereas the group TGA + VSD showed a mortality rate of 50%, simple TGA and the subgroup simple TGA younger than 14 days had a mortality rate of 16.7% and 17.4%, respectively. Mortality was not influenced by coronary artery morphology and age. In simple TGA, the data presented suggest that this operation can be performed with good short-term clinical results. Most children are asymptomatic and without medication at a mean follow-up time of 2.5 years; but as there are pathological postoperative findings in echocardiography, the long-term benefit remains a matter of concern. Considerable perioperative problems are present in cases of TGA + VSD so surgical management is more differentiated, including other options.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Surgical Department, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wollenek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laczkovics
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiesmayr
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Domanig
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*