Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Patent Ductus Arteriosus is a common condition where the help of Paediatrics Cardiac team is involved. PDA,  as it is commonly known is a structure which is present in all children and starts closing within  2- 3 days of birth, in preterm children this structure tends to stay open  leading to a host of problems- the lungs get congested, the heart has to work hard to pump the extra blood returning from the lungs, the gut may not get enough blood and develop  a condition called Necrotising Enterocolitis ( NEC). The closure of this structure can be tried by medicines initially , in children with renal problems  and in those the medicines don’t work, surgical closure  is required. The surgical closure involves a small incision on the side and clipping the PDA.  Two vital nerves which control the breathing muscle and vocal chords need to be preserved and extreme care needs to be exercised to prevent any bleeding during the procedure from this fragile structure.

Umbilical vein catheter embolization, this rare condition where a small tube used to provide medicines in newborns gets inadvertently dislodged has been managed successfully in a 900gm baby using hybrid interventional and surgical means with successful outcome.