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Donor: Dr. K. Terplan
Date: 1934
Size (H x W x D cm): 12 x 8 x 4
Abbott No 57
The aorta (A) and pulmonary artery (P) overlie the right and left ventricles, respectively. The red rod above (A, short arrow) is present in a widely patent ductus arteriosus; the rod below (A, long arrow) is in a small ventricular septal defect. A back view (B) shows a third red rod in an atrial septal defect.
A. Click on image to enlarge. B. Click on image to enlarge.
History: Two day-old infant with cyanosis.
Comment: Transposition of the aorta and pulmonary artery occurs when the developing conotruncal septum fails to take a spiral course (see specimen 21). It occurs in about 1 per 2000 births and is usually associated with a ventricular septal defect and/or a patent ductus areteriosus, as in this case.