Surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in very-low-birth-weight infants

• Published in: Pediatric surgery international Vol. 17; no. 5-6; pp. 338 - 341
• Main Authors: NIINIKOSKI, Harri, ALANEN, Markku, PARVINEN, Timo, AANTAA, Riku, EKBLAD, Henrik, KERO, Pentti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.07.2001; Berlin Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent - mortality; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent - surgery; Female; Finland - epidemiology; Humans; Indomethacin - therapeutic use; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; Male; Medical sciences; Retrospective Studies; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the heart; Survival Rate; Finland; Human; Very low birthweight; Premature; Newborn diseases; Newborn; Treatment; Pregnancy disorders; Surgery; Mortality; Review; Ductus arteriosus
• ISSN: 0179-0358; 1437-9813
• DOI: 10.1007/s003830000515

In many very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants the ductus arteriosus fails to close spontaneously, and they subsequently develop signs and symptoms of poor tissue perfusion and heart failure. This study evalutes the results of early surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). We retrospectively reviewed the records of all 101 VLBW infants who weighed 1,500 g or less when their PDA was surgically ligated in Turku University Hospital between 1988 and 1998. The mean gestational age at birth was 27.2 weeks and mean birth weight 963+/-239 g. The operation was performed at 12+/-8 days of age; the infants' weight at operation was 969+/-231 g and they were tracheally extubated 11+/-14 days after the operation. The surgery-related mortality was 3% (3/101) and overall mortality 10% (10/101). We conclude that surgical closure of PDA is safe and effective in VLBW infants.