On the morning of January 23, outside the delivery room of the Obstetrics Hospital, the neonatal transport team of Children's Hospital of Fudan University awaited a newborn in tense anticipation. Upon delivery via cesarean section at 37 weeks' gestation, infant Li Li (alias) presented with critical signs: marked cyanosis (lip oxygen saturation: 60% vs. normal >95%), labored breathing, and severe hypoxemia. The team initiated emergency neonatal transport without delay.
Prenatal diagnosis at 26 weeks' gestation had identified complete transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum (d-TGA/IVS)—a lethal congenital heart defect necessitating neonatal intervention. As explained by Dr. Zhang Huifeng, Deputy Director of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, d-TGA is a critical but curable congenital heart disease; despite procedural risks, successful arterial switch operation (ASO) enables normal development.
The cardiothoracic surgery team collaborated with the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department to establish a perinatal management protocol through prenatal assessments and multidisciplinary conferences, ensuring seamless delivery-to-treatment transition.
Post-transfer evaluation revealed a restrictive 1.8mm atrial septal defect, confirming high-risk d-TGA/IVS. At merely 4 hours postnatal age, Li Li underwent emergency ASO. The procedure—performing coronary artery transfer and great vessel anastomosis on a heart smaller than an egg—demanded microsurgical precision. Dr. Zhang's team successfully reestablished aortic-pulmonary anatomical continuity, restoring cardiac function.
Under cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) monitoring, Li Li achieved hemodynamic stability with normalized cardiac function. Currently transferred to the general ward, she demonstrates favorable recovery progress.