Transposition of the great arteries

scribed transposition of the great arteries as 'a singular malformation, in which the pulmonary artery arises from the left ventricle and the aorta from the right ventricle'. ' He was probably unable to envisage any means whereby the anatomical defect could be overcome, though it is clear he well understood the physiological implications. The clinical problem Infants with transposition are cyanosed and will become increasingly so in the absence of interven-tion. So great is the cyanosis that most will die in the first two months of life if untreated.2 The presence of certain associated lesions lessens the cyanosis and may improve the natural prognosis, by allowing mixing between pulmonary and systemic circula