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Spontaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm babies after failed attempts at transcatheter device
Ahmed Deniwar1, Matthew Brown1, Duraisamy Balaguru2
1Division of Pediatric Cardiology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, Texas, USA.
Insights
Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants may lead to spontaneous closure. Mechanical stimulation during attempted device closure might induce this effect, warranting further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal cardiology
- Pediatric interventional cardiology
- Medical device technology
Background:
- Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common procedure for preterm infants, particularly after the FDA approval of the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder.
- While generally successful, challenges and alternative outcomes are important to understand for optimizing patient care.
Abstract:
Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) for preterm infants is increasingly performed after the Food and Drug Administration approval of the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder device (Abbott Inc., Abbott Park, IL, USA) in the United States. We report three babies in whom transcatheter closure of PDA was unsuccessful; however, the PDA closed spontaneously in 1-5 days after the transcatheter attempt. The PDA remained closed during follow-up at 3 weeks, 10 weeks, and 17 months, respectively. Mechanical stimulation of the PDA by the wire during attempted device closure likely induced the PDA closure. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether this is a useful alternative therapy in this patient population.
