Transposition of the Greater Arteries Flashcards
Transposition of the greater arteries
The aorta and the pulmonary arteries are connected to the wrong chamber. Blood flows from he left ventricle to the pulmonary artery to the lungs and from the right ventricle to the aorta to the body. It becomes too separate circuits.
Symptoms of transposition of the greater arteries
Cyanosis, shortness of breath, poor feeding, tachycardia, tachypnoea
Risk factors that could cause TGA
In the expecting mother: diabetes, rubella, poor nutrition, alcohol, over 40 years old
Treatment options for TGA
Arterial switch, a balloon septostomy or medication
Process of an arterial switch to treat a TGA
The aorta and pulmonary artery are disconnected and then reconnected in the correct position
Process of a balloon septostomy to treat a TGA
It may be performed to create a large ASD to allow the mixing of oxygenated and oxygenated blood.
Medication to treat a TGA
Prostaglandin E1 can be given to keep the ductus arterious open.
What causes cyanosis in TGA?
Caused by low oxygen levels; when the blood has a lower level of oxygen, it becomes a darker red and blue light is reflected
What causes shortness of breath, tachycardia and tachnypnoea in TGA?
The body’s way of compensating; resp rate increases to try and breath in more oxygen and the heart beats faster to try push more oxygen around the body, but this cannot happen.
What causes poor feeding in TGA?
Due to an inability to tolerate the excretion needed to feed properly; feeding results in a need for increased cardiac output
Right side of the heart
Systemic circulation: deoxygenated blood.
I&SVC, RAtr, TVal, RVen, aorta to organs and tissues
Left side of the heart
Pulmonary circulation: oxygenated blood
PVein, LAtr, BVal, LVen, PArt, to lungs
