Patent Ductus Arteriosus

The patent ductus is a temporary blood vessel that is part of the fetal blood circulation system. In the womb, the patent ductus is open, allowing blood to bypass the lungs since babies rely on oxygenated blood from their mothers and don't breathe through their own lungs until after birth.

Normally, the patent ductus closes within the first 15 hours after birth and almost all close during the first year. If the ductus stays open after birth, blood leaks back into the lungs, causing a condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). PDA can place strain on the heart and lead to congestive heart failure.

This condition also can cause symptoms such as high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, causing arteries to thicken and leading to a condition called pulmonary vascular disease.

Children with PDA also are at an increased risk for heart infections called endocarditis. PDA may affect children with otherwise healthy hearts and may occur with other heart defects. In some conditions, the open ductus may compensate for blockage elsewhere in the heart's circulation system.

At UCSF Children's Hospital, our pediatric heart specialists are experts in diagnosing and treating PDAs. This condition is repaired in our Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory with special metal coil or plug devices. Following treatment, children enjoy normal growth and development.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call:
Pediatric Heart Center (415) 353-2008

For help finding a doctor, please contact our Physician Referral Service:

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 25, 2007