Children's Heart Institute | Heart Defects: Patent Ductus Arteriosus

The Children's Heart Institute - Hasan Abdallah, M.D.

Congenital Heart Defects: Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Ductus Arteriosus is a passageway which normally is present in every baby before birth. It is a communication between the two major arteries coming out of the heart. The Ductus usually closes within the first few days after birth.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus is a condition that exists when the Ductus does not close. Since the pressure in the Aorta is much higher than in the Pulmonary Artery lots of blood will be going to the Pulmonary Artery and it will be larger and the lungs will be getting much more blood than they really need.

Symptoms:
Congestive heart failure. The baby will have more fluid in his lungs, have rapid breathing, and will tire with feedings. This condition also varies depending on how wide the Ductus Arteriosus opening is. A small opening may not produce any symptoms. A larger opening may produce a heart murmur and the doctor will discover on examination that the baby has Patent Ductus Arteriosus.

Problems with the Walls:
Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) : Fix | Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) : Fix

Problems with the Doors:
Tricuspid Valve Atresia : Fix 1 | Fix 2 | Fix 3 | Ebstein's Anomaly
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome : Fix 1 | Fix 2 | Fix 3
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis | Aortic Valve Stenosis

Problems with the Chambers:
Hypoplastic Right Ventricle

Problems with the Hallways:
Coarctation of the Aorta : Fix | Branch Pulmonary Artery Stenosis
Transposition of the Great Arteries : Fixed
Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection

Problems with the Plumbing:
Anomalous Origin of the Coronary Arteries from the Pulmonary Artery

Problems Involving More Than One Part of the Heart:
Tetralogy of Fallot : Fixed
Truncus Arteriosus : Fixed | Common Atrioventricular Canal : Fix 1 | Fix 2
Ductus Arteriosus : Fix 1 | Fix 2

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