Improving the management and delivery of bedside patent ductus arteriosus ligation

Some surgical procedures can be performed more safely outside the OR. One procedure commonly performed within the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation. Staff members at one tertiary care facility assessed current management and delivery of bedside PDA ligation surgery and identified several problem areas, including communication issues regarding patient and unit readiness, design of instrument sets, and organization and transportation of surgical supplies. Implementing solutions to these problems resulted in a decrease in the amount of time the surgical team spent in the NICU and more efficient surgical procedures.