Which congenital heart defect requires immediate intervention after birth to maintain adequate oxygenation?

Transposition of the great vessels is a critical congenital heart defect that necessitates immediate intervention after birth to ensure adequate oxygenation. In this condition, the aorta and pulmonary artery are switched, meaning that oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle is sent back to the body without passing through the lungs, while oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle is sent back to the lungs instead of the body. This results in a lack of oxygenation for the body’s tissues, which can quickly lead to severe hypoxia and other systemic issues.

Immediate treatments for transposition of the great vessels may include establishing a shunt to allow mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, such as through the use of prostaglandin E1, and may also require surgical intervention, such as an arterial switch operation, to correct the defect. The urgency for action stems from the potentially life-threatening consequences of poor oxygenation in newborns.

Other congenital heart defects mentioned, while significant, typically do not require the same level of urgent intervention. For instance, ventricular septal defects, atrial septal defects, and pulmonary stenosis can often be managed with closer monitoring and may not present immediate life-threatening scenarios.