[Surgical Treatment of the Transposition of the Great Arteries].

Transposition of the great arteries( TGA) is a congenital heart disease in which the aorta originates from the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery from the left ventricle. In embryonic development, normally, the aorticopulmonary septum develops a spiral-like configuration resulting in the pulmonary trunk twisting around the ascending aorta. However, in TGA, there is lack of spiral rotation of the aorticopulmonary septum. TypeⅠ( 50%) without ventricular septal defect( VSD), typeⅡ( 25%) with VSD and left ventricular outflow tract stenosis (LVOTS), typeⅢ (25%) with VSD and LVOTS, and typeⅣ (very rare) with VSD but no LVOTS. All types present with cyanosis from the time of birth. Of these, typeⅠ is the most cyanotic, as systemic oxygen supply depends on the flow through the foramen ovale. Since the theme of this article is emergency surgery, we will discuss surgical treatment for typeⅠ, for which surgery is indicated in the early neonatal period.