[Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Interruption of Patent Ductus Arteriosus]

Between, 2000 and 2015, for 200 patients video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)-patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) has been performed, including 130 infants and children, and 70 low birth weight babies. Robotically assisted procedure was used in 105 patients. The mean age was 10 months, and body weight was 5.3 kg, ranged from 420 g to 61 kg. The mean procedure time was 48 min, ranged from 20 to 180 min. The size of PDA was around 5 mm in diameter. Conversion to thoracotomy was 4 cases. There were 2 haspital deaths(1.0%), both of extremely low birth weight patients. There were 9 major complications, including residual shunt in 5. The coil embolization were performed in 4 patients,and thoracotomy was in 1 patient. There were 2 chylothorax, for whom VATS ligation of thoracic duct was performed. In concluson, Video-assisted thoracoscopic interruption for PDA (VATS-PDA) has been performed for consecutive 200 patients with excellent results. VATS-PDA is safe, effective, and minimally traumatic, even for extremely low birth weight patients.