Two-dimensional echocardiography in complete transposition of the great arteries

Sixty three patients with complete transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) were studied by two dimensional echocardiography in order to assess: great artery relationships; ventriculo-arterial connections; presence and nature of the left ventricular outflow obstruction (LVOTO). From the parasternal short axis view at the great arteries level, four different relationships were imaged: the aorta was anterior and to the right in 35 patients, the two vessels were in a direct anterior-posterior position in 15 or side by side in 3 and the aorta was anterior and to the left in 10. Differently from normals, early pulmonary bifurcation of the artery arising from the left ventricle was imaged in 42 patients (84%) from the apical approach and in 36 (72%) from the subcostal longitudinal view. Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction was diagnosed in 29 patients (46%) and two distinct types of obstruction were differentiated: fixed and dynamic. We conclude that information derived from two-dimensional echocardiography is a valuable tool for the medical management, cardiac catheterization and surgical treatment of infants and children with d-TGA.