[Corrected transposition of the great vessels in the aged. Presentation of a case, review of the literature on the development and an anatomical and histological study of the conduction system].

A previously healthy 46 year old man was found to have a murmur suggestive of mitral incompetence, when examined after an accident. Investigations revealed corrected transposition of the great arteries and severe regurgitation of the left atrioventricular valve. A complementary bibliographic study of 19 other cases, aged over 40 years old was undertaken to assess the natural history of the condition, apparently fatal before the fifth decade in cases with associated lesions, shunt or valvular disease, but of better prognosis in the rare cases of isolated corrected transposition. The anatomical study suggested a congenital malformation of the regurgitant valve (cleft and abnormal chordal pattern) but a traumatic origin could not be excluded. Examination of the conduction system showed the presence of degenerative lesions. The atrioventricular node was located in the classical "posterior position", which is unusual in this type of congenital malformation.