Surgical Intervention in Preterm Neonates with Patent Ductus Arteriosus

The ductus arteriosus is a fetal vascular connection between the pulmonary and systemic circulations. It fails to close after birth in a small number of term infants, and in a larger number of infants with cyanotic congenital heart disease. In contemporary practice the majority of patients present with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) are premature infants before the gestational age of 28 weeks. The surgical management of PDA in preterm infants is critical for optimal outcomes and is discussed in this article.