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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Transposition of the great arteries is a rare heart defect present at birth (congenital), in which the two main arteries leaving the heart are reversed (transposed). Transposition of the great arteries changes the way blood circulates through the body, leaving a shortage of oxygen in blood flowing from the heart to the rest of the body. Without an adequate supply of oxygen-rich blood, the body can't function properly.
Transposition of the great arteries is usually detected within the first few weeks of life.
Corrective surgery soon after birth is the usual treatment for transposition of the great arteries. Having a baby with transposition of the great arteries is naturally worrisome to you as a parent, but with proper treatment, the outlook is promising.
- Transposition of the great arteries. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/TranspositionGreatArteries.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- d-Transposition of the great arteries. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11074. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- Transposition of the great arteries. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec19/ch287/ch287h.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- Congenital heart defects. The March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1212.asp. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- Aboulhosn JA, et al. Congenital heart disease in adults. In: Fuster V, et al. Hurst's The Heart. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3073065. Accessed Feb. 11, 2010.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 16, 2010.
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