The ductus arteriosus (DA) is an important vascular connection between the main pulmonary artery and the aorta. During fetal life, the DA diverts blood from the pulmonary artery into the aorta, thereby bypassing the lungs. After birth, the DA undergoes active constriction and eventual obliteration. A patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occurs when the ductus fails to completely close after delivery.
PDA occurs commonly in premature infants, especially in those with respiratory distress syndrome. In very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (birth weight below 1500 g) the incidence of PDA is about 30 percent
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