The procedure is done to treat the transposition of the great arteries (TGA). In transposition of the great arteries, the two major arteries leaving the heart are connected to the wrong ventricles, the two lower chambers of the heart. The result is that blood containing oxygen from the lungs is pumped back into the lungs, while the blood that lacks oxygen, which is necessary to nourish the body, is pumped throughout the body. When the body does not receive enough oxygen, it cannot function normally and this lack of oxygen can lead to life-threatening complications.

Transposition of the great arteries is usually diagnosed in newborns within hours or days of birth. Common symptoms include blue color of the skin (cyanosis) due to lack of oxygen, shallow breathing, loss of appetite, and minimal or no weight gain. The medical team will usually support the newborn until they can undergo surgery. Permanent treatment requires a surgical procedure to switch the arteries to their proper places. Most children can return to normal activities as well as eat and grow normally after the procedure.