title: Transposition of great arteries with aortopulmonary window: our surgical experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transposition of the great arteries with aortopulmonary window is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly. An arterial switch operation with repair of the aortopulmonary window is the preferred operation in this subset. As the tissue between the great arteries is missing, it is considered to be a complex operation. The purpose of this study is to present our experience of a simple yet highly effective surgical technique for the management of this rare complex cardiac defect.
  
  
  METHODS
  We detail our experience of the surgery of this complex defect in 4 patients. Standard technique of an arterial switch operation with minor modification in excision of branch pulmonary arteries is all that is needed in approaching this complex subset. The moiety of tissue resulting from the absence of an aortopulmonary window was naturally covered by the proximal and distal neo-aortic flap tissue. The operative technique used in the 4 cases and their presentations are detailed in the text.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four patients of ages 28 days, 35 days, 40 days, and 6 months were successfully operated. One patient expired on postoperative day 21. In this case, advanced age of presentation, severe pulmonary artery hypertension, and sepsis possibly caused the death. The remaining 3 patients are off medication now and are being regularly followed up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience early diagnosis and an arterial switch operation have been crucial in getting a favorable outcome in planning of this complex congenital heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Center, B. J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Gujarat, India. Electronic address: drmishraamit@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anesthesiology, U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Center, B. J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Hemang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Center, B. J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Pranav
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Center, B. J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Hardik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anesthesiology, U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Center, B. J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Divyakant
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Center, B. J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Megha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheth
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Center, B. J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Dayesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodricks
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D000367:Age Factors; D001028:Aortopulmonary Septal Defect / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D061214:Patient Safety; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality
keywords: 21