Abstract 16879: Utility of Transthoracic Echocardiography in Adult Patients With D-Transposition of the Great Arteries and Atrial Switch Operation

Abstract

Introduction: Per 2018 ACC AHA adult congenital heart disease guidelines, routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is recommended for follow-up in patients with d-transposition of the great arteries (dTGA) after atrial switch operation at least annually. Little data are available to suggest utility in clinical management with frequent surveillance, either with or without symptoms. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that frequent TTEs would not lead to significant clinical changes in management and that TTEs performed for symptoms would lead to more detection of pathology and clinically relevant management decisions. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all echocardiograms performed for dTGA patients corrected with the atrial switch procedure at Texas Children’s Hospital from 2000-2009 to obtain baseline TTEs and 2010-2019 to analyze for changes in clinical management, associated with TTE performance. Results: We identified 50 patients with dTGA and atrial switch operation with 54% Mustard operation. A total of 333 echocardiograms were performed (6.7/person), 30% (100) with symptoms. The average age at time of all TTEs was 35 +/- 11 years. Most frequent symptoms were palpitations (n=39), dyspnea (n=30), and fatigue (n=27). Changes in management occurred after 9% of studies (10/100 of symptomatic, 21/233 asymptomatic patients, p = NS). Most of these were medication changes (n=18, 11 asymptomatic) and advanced imaging (n=12, 9 asymptomatic). Invasive management after TTE was rare (1 baffle stenting in asymptomatic patient) but after advanced imaging included 4 baffle stent implantations (3 asymptomatic). The interval between TTEs was 1.2 +/- 0.9 years, regardless of symptoms. Conclusions: In dTGA patients after atrial switch operation, routine screening TTEs and symptomatic TTEs had similar yield in detecting pathology leading to a clinical change in management. TTE and subsequent advanced imaging preceded invasive intervention (baffle stenting) in 10% of patients, mostly asymptomatic. Less frequent surveillance TTEs in asymptomatic and advanced imaging in symptomatic dTGA patients with atrial switch operation is cost-effective and should be considered .