The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 38, 640-643, Copyright © 1984 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
A new method of closing the ventricular septal defect in corrected transposition of the great arteries
S Kitamura, C Oyama, K Kawachi, Y Miyagi, R Morita, Y Yamada and S Taniguchi
A new method of closing a perimembranous malalignment ventricular septal
defect (VSD) in corrected transposition of the great arteries (TGA) of the
[S,L,L] type is presented. The method consists of combined approaches to
the VSD through both a right atriotomy and an aortotomy without a
ventriculotomy. The VSD is patched obliquely from the morphological right
ventricular side of the septum, cranially through the aortic valve to the
left ventricular side of the septum, caudally through the mitral valve.
Although this method has been successfully applied in only one adult
patient, some advantages may be expected: (1) prevention of trauma to the
His bundle, which runs along the anterosuperior rim of the VSD on the left
ventricular side; and (2) prevention of trauma to the tricuspid, mitral,
and aortic valves without having to open the ventricles. We believe that
this new method warrants a further trial as possibly better for closure of
the VSD in corrected TGA of the [S,L,L] type.