title: Echocardiographic features of left juxtaposed atrial appendages associated with dextro-transposition of the great arteries.
abstract: We found that echocardiography in cases of left juxtaposed atrial appendage (JAA) consistently featured a malpositioned right atrial appendage, abnormal spatial orientation of the atrial septum, and posterior deviation of the septum secundum toward the left atrium. The qualitative displacement of the septum secundum together with the posterior and leftward displacement of the right atrial appendage (with respect to the great arteries) prompted us to pose questions concerning the morphogenesis of left JAA and the implications for surgery. The importance of precatheterization and preoperative recognition of left JAA in dextrotransposition of the great arteries by echocardiography cannot be overemphasized when planning a balloon atrial septostomy or a biventricular repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lue
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*