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PDA Treatment Options for Premature Infants

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a condition in which a blood vessel fails to close normally in an infant soon after birth. The blood vessel that fails to close is called the ductus arteriosus. This condition leads to an abnormal blood flow between to major blood vessels that carry blood to the heart. The symptoms associated with this condition are poor growth, fatigue, bounding pulse, fast breathing, poor eating habits, shortness of breath and sweating while eating.

  1. Waiting

    • When a baby is premature, the patent ductus arteriosus usually closes on it own withing a few weeks after birth. Doctors will monitor the baby's heart to make sure the blood vessel is closing on its own. It is possible that the doctor will continue monitoring the condition without any procedures.

    Medication

    • The premature baby's doctor may try non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, to try and close the vessel. These drugs block the hormone-like chemicals in the premature baby's body that keep the vessels open.

    Open Heart Surgery

    • If medications are not helping, and the PDA is causing health problems, open heart surgery might be needed. The surgery entails a surgeon making a small cut between the baby's ribs to reach the heart. The surgeon will then repair the duct with stitches or clips. The child will remain in the hospital for several days following the surgery for observation. It can take weeks for your baby to fully recover.

    Catheter

    • If the child's PDA is not causing any health problems, your doctor may want to try a catheter procedure when the baby is 6 months old. This is a lot less invasive than open heart surgery. Catheter procedures have fewer complications and less recovery time than open heart surgery. The doctor will have to wait for 6 months though, because premature babies are too small to do the procedure before then. A thin tube would be inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and threaded up to the heart. A plug or coil is inserted in the catheter to close the ductus. This is usually an outpatient procedure.

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