Robotic-Assisted Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation in Children

XiWang Liu1, Jie Jin1, XiCheng Zhang1

  • 1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310052, China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China.

PubMed

Insights

Robotic surgery for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in children over six months is safe and effective. This minimally invasive approach offers good prospects for treating PDA in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Minimally Invasive Techniques
  • Cardiovascular Surgery

Background:

  • Limited experience exists for robotic-assisted surgery in pediatric patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) treatment.
  • This study updates the experience with robotic PDA ligation in a larger pediatric cohort.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for PDA ligation in children.
  • To assess the feasibility of robotic PDA treatment in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 425 children with PDA who underwent robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery from August 2020 to March 2025.
  • Data collected included demographic and perioperative clinical variables.

Main Results:

  • The study included children aged 6 months to 13 years, with an average age of 34.2 months.
  • Surgical times ranged from 12 to 90 minutes (median 26 min).
  • A significant portion (61.9%) of patients were managed with day surgery.

Conclusions:

  • Robotic-assisted surgery for PDA ligation in children over six months old is a safe and effective procedure.
  • This minimally invasive approach presents a promising option for pediatric PDA treatment.
Abstract