What does patent ductus arteriosus mean in newborns?

The arrival of a child makes many families happy, but if the child develops a disease as soon as he or she is born, it will cast a shadow over the family. Patent ductus arteriosus in newborns can cause a series of hazards to the child and even endanger his life. Some children will gradually close the ductus arteriosus during development, but some children still cannot close it, which requires surgical treatment. So, what does patent ductus arteriosus in a newborn mean? Let’s find out through the following content!

Patent ductus arteriosusi (pda) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases in children. The ductus arteriosus is the main physiological blood flow channel for fetal blood circulation. Normally, the ductus arteriosus is functionally closed after birth and then anatomically closed. However, under certain pathological conditions, the ductus arteriosus remains open, which is called patent ductus arteriosus. Because the aortic pressure is higher than the pulmonary artery pressure, blood is shunted from the aorta to the pulmonary artery through the patent ductus during both systole and diastole, causing left ventricular capacity overload and a significant increase in pulmonary blood flow, leading to pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular overload. Pulmonary hypertension gradually develops from dynamic to resistive, and eventually right-to-left shunt occurs.

The ductus arteriosus is an integral part of fetal circulation. As the baby takes its first breath after birth, the blood oxygen concentration rises sharply, causing the muscles of the ductus arteriosus wall to contract and close. Generally, the ductus arteriosus is functionally closed on the first day after birth, but it may reopen within 7 to 10 days due to hypoxia and other reasons. Anatomical occlusion usually takes place around 1 year old. The histological changes are that the vascular intimal cushion formed by endothelial cells first protrudes into the lumen of the ductus arteriosus, followed by hemorrhage and necrosis of the subintimal layer, connective tissue hyperplasia, and scar formation, which eventually lead to permanent occlusion of the lumen of the ductus arteriosus and form a cord-like remnant. If the ductus arteriosus remains open, forming an unnecessary passage between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, it is called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).

Through the introduction above, I believe you already know what patent ductus arteriosus in newborns means! The arterial catheterization room is the life channel for children to survive. Parents should not rely on luck. It is best to take the children to a regular hospital for examination to see if treatment is needed. If treatment is needed, it should be treated in time to avoid the situation from worsening.