Transposition of the Great Arteries

A nonsurgical method of creating atrial septal defects using a balloon catheter has been reviewed, and important procedural and technical details have been presented. The results of balloon atrioseptostomy in 31 infants with transposition of the great arteries have been reported and compared with those from the surgical creation of atrial septal defects. All 31 patients survived balloon atrioseptostomy without complications; 26 of them (84%) had effective immediate palliation, and 22 (71%) are long-term survivors. These results demonstrate that effective palliation of transposition of the great arteries, with or without associated ventricular septal defect, can be provided rapidly and safely by balloon atrioseptostomy. All patients with transposition and a large ventricular septal defect should have balloon atrioseptostomy and may also need pulmonary artery banding. For some of these patients banding may be postponed safely for many months, may occur spontaneously, or may be avoided completely. Atrioseptostomy by the balloon catheter technique requires neither sedation nor general anesthesia, and obviates the need for thoracotomy and cardiotomy. The rapidity with which it can be performed makes it particularly advantageous for the desperately hypoxic newborn with transposition of the great arteries who may be considered too sick to withstand major surgery.