Dextro-transposition of the great arteries anatomy


 * Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org]; ; Keri Shafer, M.D. [mailto:kshafer@bidmc.harvard.edu]; Assistant Editor(s)-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [mailto:kfeeney@perfuse.org]

Overview
In dextro-transposition of the great arteries there exist a arterial-ventricular discordance with atrial-ventricular concordance

Anatomy and Anatomic Variations

 * The position of the aorta and the pulmonary artery are switched relative to the ventricular septum.
 * The Atrio-Ventricular connections are normal.
 * Differences in the shape of the atrial septum and/or ventricular outflow tracts affect the anatomical positions of the aorta and pulmonary artery.
 * In the majority of d-TGA cases, the aorta is anterior and to the right of the pulmonary artery, but it can also be directly anterior or anterior and to the left.
 * The aorta and pulmonary artery can also be side by side, with aorta on either side. This is a less common variant, and with this arrangement, an unusual coronary artery pattern is common.
 * There are also some cases with aorta to the right and posterior to the pulmonary artery.
 * The left coronary artery arises from the left aortic sinus and the right coronary artery from the posterior aortic sinus. In 31 of 149 cases, the circumflex originates from the posterior aortic sinus.

Acknowledgements and Initial Contributors to Page
Leida Perez, M.D.