Two-stage operation for anatomical correction of transposition of the great arteries with intact interventricular septum.

To allow redevelopment of the posterior ventricle in an infant with transposition of the great arteries and intact interventricular septum, at the age of 4 weeks the pulmonary artery was banded, an aortopulmonary shunt was fashioned proximal to the band, and atrial septectomy was performed. Peak systolic posterior ventricular pressure immediately rose to systemic level (70 mm Hg.) During the next 4 months the pressure drifted back to 55 mm Hg but rose to 72 mm Hg after angiography without a rise in end-diastolic pressure. When the child was six months old anatomical correction of the transposition was successfully performed, the aorta, pulmonary, and coronary arteries being reattached to the appropriate ventricles. Debanding was performed at the same time. For the first 48 hours after operation phenoxybenzamine was given to reduce overload. At 6-month follow-up the child remained symptomless and was not on any cardiac drugs; left-ventricular function was good. This two-stage technique should widen the application of anatomical correction from a small selected group with additional defects to include most patients with transposition of the great arteries.