Dextro-transposition of the great arteries: switching the switch

Dextro-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA), whether isolated (simple) or associated with other congenital cardiac lesions (complex), is prevalent in 0.2 per 1,000 live births and accounts for 5% to 7% of congenital heart defects (1,2). Management of D-TGA epitomizes the remarkable strides achieved in medical and surgical therapy over time in the broader field of congenital heart disease. From the original palliative Blalock-Hanlon septectomy to the modern-day arterial switch operation (ASO), the step-wise progress reflects an international success story marked by 65 years of ingenuity, innovation, and collaboration (3).