From Mdwiki - Reading time: 2 min| Atrial switch | |
|---|---|
| Arterial (left) and atrial switch (right) | |
| Specialty | Cardiology |
Atrial switch is a heart operation performed to treat dextro-Transposition of the great arteries.[1] It involves the construction of an atrial tunnel which redirects the blood coming into the atria to restore the connection between systemic and pulmonary circulation.[2]
Two variants of the atrial switch operation developed – the Senning procedure (1950s) which uses the patient's own tissue (pericardium) to construct the baffle, and the Mustard procedure (1960s), which uses a synthetic material.[3] It has largely been replaced by the arterial switch operation.[3] The operation is more commonly performed in developing countries, where the condition frequently presents late.[4]