title: Reversible Closure of the Ductus Arteriosus.
abstract: There are cases in which ligation of the ductus arteriosus is part of a palliative or reparative procedure where the opportunity to reopen the ductus in the early period after surgery could be beneficial. This applies, particularly, to patients with borderline left ventricle in whom a biventricular repair is performed or in small babies in whom a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt is performed, particularly when a very small polytetrafluoroethylene graft is used. Conventional ductal ligation is generally irreversible. We describe a technique of ductal closure that allows easy reopening of the duct in the early postoperative period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy quarti.andrea@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quarti
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iezzi
mesh_terms: D058366:Blalock-Taussig Procedure / Q000379:methods*; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: congenital heart disease; hypoxia; shunt