Dextro-Transposition of the great arteries

Dextro-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) is a potentially life-threatening congenital birth defect affecting the large arteries of the heart, in which the aorta and pulmonary artery are transposed from their normal positions. In this cyanotic congenital heart defect, deoxygenated blood returning to the right side of the heart is pumped directly into the aorta and out to the body, while oxygenated blood from the left heart is sent back to the lungs, creating two separate parallel circulations instead of the normal sequential circulation and preventing adequate oxygen from reaching the body's tissues. Affected newborns turn blue from lack of oxygen, with bluish discoloration typically visible around the mouth, lips, fingertips and toes, which is why the defect is called cyanotic. The condition affects the cardiovascular system and is always life-threatening without treatment; life-saving heart surgery is required in every case, typically performed within the first two weeks of life using the arterial switch operation, known as the Jatene procedure.