eMedicine Specialties > Pediatrics: Cardiac Disease and Critical Care Medicine > Cardiology

Patent Ductus Arteriosus: Follow-up

Author: Steven R Neish, MD, SM, Director of Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 23, 2009

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • Typically, hospitalization following treatment for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is minimal. Patients who have catheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus are usually sent home on the day of the procedure. Even patients who have standard surgery with a thoracotomy rarely are hospitalized for longer than 2 or 3 days.
  • The appropriate care and length of hospitalization of premature neonates with a patent ductus arteriosus are primarily determined based on abnormalities of other organ systems. However, babies who have effective closure of patent ductus arteriosus appear to have shorter hospital stays than babies whose patent ductus arteriosus remains a problem.

Further Outpatient Care

  • Once the patent ductus arteriosus is closed, no special limitations or care is necessary.
  • Most physicians recommend antibiotic prophylaxis at times of risk of bacteremia for 6-12 months following closure, whether by catheter or surgery.

Complications

  • Endocarditis
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Pulmonary vascular obstructive disease
  • Aortic rupture

Prognosis

  • Typically, following patent ductus arteriosus closure, patients experience no further symptoms and have no further cardiac sequelae.
  • Premature infants who had a significant patent ductus arteriosus are more likely to develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Miscellaneous

Special Concerns

  • Some canine breeds, such as certain strains of poodle, have a large prevalence of patent ductus arteriosus.
 


More on Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Overview: Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Treatment & Medication: Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Follow-up: Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Multimedia: Patent Ductus Arteriosus
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

patent ductus arteriosus, patent arterial duct, PDA, congenital heart defect, aorticopulmonary shunt, aorticopulmonary communication, ductus arteriosus, pulmonary hypertension, respiratory distress syndrome, congestive heart failure, rubella, fetal alcohol syndrome

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Steven R Neish, MD, SM, Director of Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine
Steven R Neish, MD, SM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Cardiology, and American Heart Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Christopher Johnsrude, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Director of Electrophysiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Pediatric Cardiology Associates, PSC
Christopher Johnsrude, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Cardiology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Mary L Windle, PharmD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Pfizer Inc Stock Investment from financial planner; Avanir Pharma Stock Investment from financial planner ; WebMD Salary and stock Employment and investment from financial planner

Managing Editor

Hugh D Allen, MD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology and Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University College of Medicine
Hugh D Allen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, American Pediatric Society, American Society of Echocardiography, Society for Pediatric Research, Society of Pediatric Echocardiography, and Western Society for Pediatric Research
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Gilbert Z Herzberg, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Cardiology, New York Medical College; Consulting Staff, Department of Pediatrics, Sound Shore Medical Center
Gilbert Z Herzberg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Stuart Berger, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, Medical College of Wisconsin; Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Director of Pediatric Heart Transplant Program, Medical Director of The Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin
Stuart Berger, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Cardiology, American College of Chest Physicians, American Heart Association, and Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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