[Ligation of the ductus arteriosus in premature infants. Surgical considerations]

It is described the surgical interruption of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in ten premature newborn patients with cardiac insufficiency and/or respiratory distress syndrome. The authors mention the technical factors that they consider important to have good results with these fragile infants, as the use of local anesthesia; to perform the procedure in the neonatal intensive care unit, the extrapleural dissection of the ductus, etc. The post-operative care problems are analyzed and this experience is compared with reports from other authors.