Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)

Diagnosis

During a physical examination, the healthcare provider will inquire about your medical history and perform a physical evaluation. While using a stethoscope to listen to your heart, the provider might detect a heart sound known as a murmur.

The following examinations could be performed to identify patent ductus arteriosus:

• Echocardiogram. In this examination, the heart’s beating is visualized using sound waves. It demonstrates the movement of blood through the heart, heart valves, and surrounding blood arteries. The results of the test let your doctor know how well your heart is pumping blood. A patent ductus arteriosus may be seen. Moreover, a lung artery echocardiography can find increased pressures there.
• Chest X-ray. This examination reveals the health of the lungs and heart.
• Electrocardiogram. The heartbeat’s electrical signals are captured during this quick and easy test. It demonstrates how quickly or slowly the heart is beating.
• Cardiac catheterization. The diagnosis of a PDA typically does not require this test. Yet if a PDA emerges along with other heart issues, it might be done. The heart is reached by inserting a long, thin, flexible tube (catheter) into a blood artery, typically in the groin or wrist. The medical professional might be able to do therapies to seal the patent ductus arteriosus during this test.

Treatment

Depending on the patient’s age, several treatments are used for patent ductus arteriosus. Some persons with mild PDAs who aren’t having issues merely require routine medical exams to look out for complications. If a preterm infant has a PDA, the doctor will check on them frequently to make sure it closes.

Medications

Premature babies with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) can be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to close the PDA by blocking specific body chemicals. However, NSAIDs are ineffective in closing PDAs in children and adults born at full term. In the past, individuals born with PDA were advised to take antibiotics before undergoing certain surgical or dental procedures to prevent heart infections. But nowadays, most people with PDA do not require preventive antibiotics, and their health care provider can determine if they need antibiotics after undergoing specific heart procedures.

Surgical intervention and other treatments

The following are cutting-edge methods for sealing a patent ductus arteriosus:

• Catheter procedure. Enclosing the opening with a plug or coil and a thin tube known as a catheter. It makes a repair possible without requiring open heart surgery.

A small tube is inserted into a blood artery in the groin and sent to the heart during a catheterization operation. The catheter is passed through by a plug or coil. The ductus arteriosus is sealed off by the coil or stopper. Most of the time, no overnight hospital stay is necessary for the treatment.

Babies born too early are too little to receive catheter treatments. When the baby is older, a catheter therapy to close the opening may be performed if the PDA is not posing any issues.

• Surgical closure. Closing the PDA with open cardiac surgery. If medication is ineffective if the PDA is big or producing issues, heart surgery may be required.

In order to access the child’s heart, a surgeon creates a small incision between the ribs. Stitches or clips are used to seal the opening. A child often needs a few weeks to recuperate entirely from this operation.

Even after receiving therapy to close the opening, some people born with a PDA require ongoing medical examinations. The doctor performing these examinations may order tests to look for problems. Discuss your treatment strategy with your healthcare practitioner. Prenatal care from a professional with experience in treating people with cardiac issues is ideal. Congenital cardiologists are this category of medical professional.