title: A guideline to the management of patent ductus arteriosus in infants and children.
abstract: Experience with multiple ligation of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, is presented. One hundred and sixty-one consecutive cases between January 1971 and December 1974 have been reviewed. Fifty-four children (33%) were less than one year of age. In the majority of cases the diagnosis was made on clinical grounds. Cardiac catheterization and angiography were carried out when associated intracardiac lesions were suspected. The overall mortality was 2.5%. All the deaths occurred in infants less than six months of age who had associated cardiac lesions. There were no deaths in patients who had an uncomplicated PDA or who were more than one year of age. Multiple ligation of the PDA is a simple and safe operation. The risk of operative treatment is affected more by the presence of associated cardiac lesions and the age of the patient than by the surgical technique employed.
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011859:Radiography