What is the cause of transposition of the great vessels?
Transposition of the great arteries occurs during pregnancy when the baby’s heart is developing. The cause is most often unknown. To understand transposition of the great arteries, it may be helpful to know how the heart typically pumps blood.
Which vessels are affected in transposition of great arteries?
Dextro-Transposition (pronounced DECKS-tro trans-poh-ZI-shun) of the Great Arteries or d-TGA is a birth defect of the heart in which the two main arteries carrying blood out of the heart – the main pulmonary artery and the aorta – are switched in position, or “transposed.”
How long can you live with transposition of the great vessels?
Untreated, over 50 percent of infants with transposition will die in the first month of life. Ninety percent will die in the first year.
Why is transposition of the great arteries a right to left shunt?
Right-to-Left Shunts Right-to-left shunt lesions result in deoxygenated blood bypassing the lungs and being sent directly to the systemic circulation. Pulmonary flow can be diminished (e.g., tetralogy of Fallot) or increased (e.g., D-transposition of the great arteries).
Does Dextrocardia affect blood flow?
A baby with dextrocardia may also have holes in the septum of their heart. The septum is the divider between the left and right heart chambers. Septal defects can cause problems with the way that blood flows in and out of the baby’s heart. This will usually result in a heart murmur.
What happens in transposition of the great vessels?
Transposition of the great vessels is a congenital heart defect in which the position of the two major vessels that carry blood away from the heart, the aorta and the pulmonary artery, is switched (transposed).
Is transposition of the great vessels fatal?
Transposition of the great arteries or TGA is a potentially fatal congenital heart malformation where the pulmonary artery and the aorta are switched. The switch means that the aorta, which normally carries oxygenated blood, carries deoxygenated blood.
Does dextrocardia affect the lungs?
Symptoms of dextrocardia Some people with isolated dextrocardia have an increased risk of lung infections, sinus infections, or pneumonia. With isolated dextrocardia, the cilia in your lungs may not function normally. Cilia are very fine hairs that filter the air you breathe.
Does dextrocardia affect blood flow?
Is transposition of the great arteries fatal?
Is dextrocardia serious?
Dextrocardia is a rare congenital condition where the heart points toward the right side of the chest instead of the left. The condition is usually not life-threatening, although it often occurs alongside more serious complications, such as heart defects and organ disorders in the abdomen.