Atrial switch
Atrial Switch
Atrial switch (pronounced: AY-tree-al swich) is a surgical procedure used to correct congenital heart defects involving the heart's upper chambers (atria). The term originates from the Latin words 'atrium', meaning 'entrance hall', and 'switch', which is derived from the Old English 'swician', meaning 'to change'.
Definition
An atrial switch is a type of open-heart surgery that redirects the flow of blood through the heart by creating a new pathway between the atria and the ventricles. This procedure is typically performed to correct conditions such as transposition of the great arteries (TGA), where the two main arteries leaving the heart are in the wrong positions.
Procedure
The atrial switch operation involves making an incision in the chest to access the heart. The surgeon then creates a new pathway for blood to flow from the atria to the ventricles. This is achieved by creating a 'baffle' or tunnel inside the atria, which redirects the flow of oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium to the right ventricle, and oxygen-poor blood from the right atrium to the left ventricle.
Related Terms
- Congenital heart defect: A problem with the structure of the heart that is present at birth.
- Open-heart surgery: A type of surgery where the chest is cut open and surgery is performed on the heart.
- Transposition of the great arteries: A condition where the two main arteries leaving the heart are in the wrong positions.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Atrial switch
- Wikipedia's article - Atrial switch
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