Patent ductus arteriosus in very low birthweight infants: complications of pharmacological and surgical treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate complications of surgical and pharmacological treatment of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants.


METHODS
Of 931 VLBW infants consecutively admitted 1987-1998, a significant PDA prompted first-choice treatment by indomethacin in 101 infants, and surgery in 55 infants. PDA closed or became asymptomatic after indomethacin in 64 patients (63%), while 34 went on to surgery. PDA closure was achieved in all 61 infants after ligation and in 26 of 28 infants after clipping.


RESULTS
Transient renal impairment after indomethacin treatment was recorded in 40 of 101 infants (40%), compared to renal impairment in 9 of 55 infants (16%) undergoing surgery without prior indomethacin. No differences in necrotizing enterocolitis and intracranial hemorrhage rates were seen. Air leak occurred in 6 of 89 infants after surgery, two of which had fatal tension pneumothorax. Intraoperative hemorrhage requiring emergency transfusion occurred in 2 infants, wound infection occurred in 2 infants and phrenic palsy in one infant. Based on an intention-to-treat analysis, the overall fatality rates were 16 of 101 (16%) for indomethacin and 14 of 55 (25%) for surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the short-comings inherent to retrospective analyses, we propose that surgery should be reserved for infants not responding to pharmacological PDA closure.
Koehne
P S
PS
Departments of Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Charité Virchow Hospital, Humboldt University, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, German Heart Institute Berlin, Germany. petra.koehne@charite.de
Bein
G
G
Alexi-Meskhishvili
V
V
Weng
Y
Y
Bührer
C
C
Obladen
M
M
D001724:Birth Weight; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008026:Ligation; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007213:Indomethacin