OPERATIVE CLOSURE OF PATENT DUCTUS-ARTERIOSUS IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT

Preterm infants undergoing surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosu s are usually critically ill and are suffering from many concomitant d iseases. The high risk of increased morbidity in transferring them fro m the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to a distant operating room is generally recognized. For this reason we report our experience in 3 3 premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus who have been operat ed in the NICU over a six-year period. There were no operative or imme diate postoperative deaths and the 30 days hospital mortality was 6%. Based upon these findings we can confirm that operative closure of PDA can be performed safely in the NICU.