Outcome following surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in very low birth weight infants in neonatal intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to determine the factors affecting the outcome of patent ductus arteriosus ligation in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) and demonstrate the safety of PDA ligation in VLBWI performed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).


METHODS
From October 1994 to July 2006, medical records of 94 VLBWI weighing <1,500 g who underwent PDA ligation in the NICU of Samsung Medical Center were reviewed retrospectively. Factors affecting the final outcome of PDA ligation were evaluated by dividing the infants into 3 groups according to mortality and major morbidities as follows: mortality group (Mo), major morbidity group (Mb), and no major morbidity group (NM).


RESULTS
In the Mo group, birth weight was significantly lower and the preoperative mean FiO2 and mean dopamine dose were significantly higher than those in the other 2 groups. There was no significant difference in gestational age, incidence of RDS, number of courses of indomethacin, surgery-related factors, including weight and age at surgery, perioperative vital signs, and complications after surgery between the 3 groups. During surgery in the NICU, there were no significant hemodynamic instability or serious acute complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The factors affecting the outcome of surgery in VLBWI are not the factors related to surgery but the preoperative conditions related to the underlying prematurity. PDA ligation of VLBWI performed in the NICU is safe without serious complications.
Lee
Ga Yeun
GY
Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea.
Sohn
Young Bae
YB
Kim
Myo Jing
MJ
Jeon
Ga Won
GW
Shim
Jae Won
JW
Chang
Yun Sil
YS
Huh
June
J
Kang
I-Seok
IS
Yang
Ji-Hyuk
JH
Jun
Tae-Gook
TG
Park
Pyo Won
PW
Park
Won Soon
WS
Lee
Heung Jae
HJ
D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome