Surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in very-low-birth-weight infants

In many very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants the ductus arteriosus fails to close spontaneously, and they subsequently develop signs and symptoms of p oor tissue perfusion and heart failure. This study evalutes the results of early surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). We retrospectivel y reviewed the records of all 101 VLBW infants who weighed 1,500 g or less when their PDA was surgically ligated in Turku University Hospital between 1985 and 1998. The mean gestational age at birth was 27.2 weeks and mean bi rth weight 963 +/- 239 g. The operation was performed at 12 +/- 8 days of a ge; the infants' weight at operation was 969 +/- 231 g and they were trache ally extubated 11 +/- 14 days after the operation. The surgery-related mort ality was 3% (3/101) and overall mortality 10% (10/101). We conclude that s urgical closure of PDA is safe and effective in VLBW infants.