Before the baby is born, the fetus blood does not require passing to lungs to get oxygenated. The ductus arteriosus is a hole that allows skipping the circulation through the lungs.
If this hole persists even after the birth, it is called patent ductus arteriosus.
A small patent ductus arteriosus does not cause any serious problems and specific treatment is not required. Whereas, for large ones are to be closed because of further complications.
This condition is common congenital heart defect 1 in 2500 to 5000 live births.
What are the symptoms of patent ductus arteriosus?
If the ductus arteriosus small, symptoms may not appear until adulthood. For larger defects, the following symptoms can be present.
Rapid breathing or breathless
Decreased appetite – poor growth
Frequent tiredness
Murmuring
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Sweating while crying and eating
What are the risk factors of patent ductus arteriosus?
Premature birth
Rubella infection during pregnancy
Born at a high altitude
Girl baby
Family history
Genetic conditions such as Down’s syndrome
What are the complications of patent ductus arteriosus?
Pulmonary hypertension: Greater blood circulation through ductus arteriosus leads to pulmonary hypertension, which can further lead to the irreversible type of pulmonary hypertension known as Eisenmenger syndrome.
Heart failure: Patent ductus arteriosus can eventually lead to enlargement of the heart and further heart failure.
Endocarditis: Inflammation of the heart’s inner lining known as infective endocarditis.
How is PDA diagnosed?
Electrocardiogram
Echocardiogram
Chest X-ray
Physical examination
What are the indications of PDA devise closure?
Volume overloading of the left atrium and left ventricle
Risks of endocarditis
Aneurysm of PDA
Pulmonary vascular disease
Why device closure preferred over surgical PDA ligation?
Device closure is simple
Less morbidity
Short hospital stay
PDA is the first congenital heart disease to undergo trans catheter closure
What are the complications of surgery for PDA?
Bleeding
Blood pressure fluctuations
Respiratory compromise
Inadvertent left pulmonary artery ligation
Recurrent laryngeal nerve damage
Residual shunting
How does PDA treat?
Conservative management:
Cyclooxygenase inhibitors (Idiomethacin, ibuprofen) or acetaminophen are used therapeutically to close PDA
Surgical ligation:
Surgical ligation is required in case if the patient is not suitable for pharmacological treatment due to risks/adverse effects associated with it.
Transcatheter closure:
This is a minimally invasive procedure
This procedure is performed in patients who weigh <1000g
Fluid intake between 120-130 ml/kg to limit pulmonary edema with significant PDA
What is the uniqueness of PDA closure by Dr. Raghu?
Dr. Raghu team has performed date 100 PDA device closure procedure. His work on the closure of large PDAs has been presented at the Cardiological Society of India.