Pre-Operative Brain Injury in Newborn Infants With Transposition of the Great Arteries Occurs at Rates Similar to Other Complex Congenital Heart Disease and Is Not Related to Balloon Atrial Septostomy

Abstract

Objectives: The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of pre-operative brain injury in infants with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) compared with other complex congenital heart disease (CHD) and to define the risk of balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) for the development of brain injury. Background: It has recently been suggested that infants with TGA are at increased risk of pre-operative brain injury, in particular, stroke, and that this is strongly associated with having a BAS. Methods: Sixty-four newborn infants with TGA (n = 44), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (n = 13), or pulmonary atresia (n = 7) had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans performed bef..