Transposition of the Great Vessels

A congenital heart defect in which the aorta arises from the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery from the left, creating parallel rather than serial circulations.

Atrial septal defect: A congenital opening in the wall between the heart’s two atria. An atrial opening can permit oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to mix.
Aorta: The body’s largest artery, carrying blood from the left ventricle to the systemic circulation. In this defect, it arises from the right rather than the left ventricle.
Echocardiography: Ultrasound imaging used to examine the heart’s structure and blood flow. It identifies the arterial connections and associated openings.
Cyanosis: A bluish discoloration of skin or mucous membranes associated with low blood oxygen. Poorly mixed blood reaching the body produces cyanosis in many affected newborns.
Ventricular septal defect: A congenital opening in the wall separating the heart’s two ventricles. A ventricular opening may provide another route for blood to mix.
Pulmonary artery: The artery that carries blood from the right ventricle toward the lungs. In this defect, it arises from the left rather than the right ventricle.
Pulse oximetry: A noninvasive method for estimating blood oxygen saturation through the skin. Low oxygen saturation can prompt evaluation for this cyanotic heart defect.
Hypoxemia: An abnormally low level of oxygen in arterial blood. Parallel circulations limit oxygen delivery unless blood mixes between them.
Patent ductus arteriosus: A persistent connection between the pulmonary artery and aorta after birth. This fetal vessel can allow mixing between the parallel circulations.
Ventricular septum: The muscular wall separating the heart’s right and left ventricles. Openings in this wall can connect the otherwise parallel pathways.

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