Will patent ductus arteriosus increase with age?

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Patent ductus arteriosus is a type of congenital heart disease, primarily treated through surgery. Early surgical intervention can completely cure this disease. However, as age increases, the symptoms of this disease can become more severe. Based on the patient's condition, it is recommended to undergo early surgical treatment at a hospital to alleviate the patient's suffering. As age increases, various organic diseases may emerge, which can sometimes affect a child's growth and development. During this period, it is advised that the patient regularly revisits the hospital for echocardiography checks and to also be cautious in preventing upper respiratory infections.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Can a patent ductus arteriosus heal by itself?

The ductus arteriosus is a duct that fetal blood must pass through as it is transported from the placenta to the aorta. This duct connects between the main pulmonary artery and the aorta of the fetus and generally closes on its own after birth. Most patients can close it spontaneously within three months, but the likelihood of closure diminishes if it surpasses one year. Therefore, for patent ductus arteriosus, some people can heal on their own, while others, especially children over one year old, cannot heal by themselves and are advised to undergo surgery as soon as possible. This is because the patent ductus arteriosus can cause a condition similar to an arteriovenous fistula, increasing the workload on the heart, leading to cardiac hypertrophy and eventual heart failure.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Is patent ductus arteriosus related to staying up late during pregnancy?

The arterial duct refers to a continuous duct between the main trunk of the pulmonary artery and the aorta during the embryonic period of the fetus. Through this duct, blood from the placenta can be delivered to the infant's body for tissue oxygenation. Therefore, the arterial duct is originally a normal tissue in the embryo. After the birth of the infant, the majority of arterial ducts will close within a few months. If it has not closed after one year, it can be diagnosed as congenital patent ductus arteriosus. Therefore, there is no relationship between patent ductus arteriosus and staying up late during pregnancy.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Is surgery necessary for an unclosed arterial duct?

Patent ductus arteriosus is a type of congenital heart disease. Currently, surgical treatment is recommended for patients because it involves minimally invasive techniques. Additionally, post-surgery recovery is quick, and there are fewer complications. Particularly for this disease, medication is often not very effective and does not achieve the therapeutic goal. Surgical treatment can completely resolve the patient's issues, thereby reducing the frequency of recurrence and not affecting the child's growth and development. In the meantime, it is still vital to actively prevent respiratory infections.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Can you get pregnant with patent ductus arteriosus?

Patent ductus arteriosus refers to a congenital channel between the aorta and the pulmonary artery that fails to close. This can lead to a mixing of blood between the veins and arteries, thus deteriorating heart function. Generally, individuals with this condition can become pregnant after treatment. Patent ductus arteriosus is a congenital heart defect that does not have hereditary properties and does not prevent one from having children. However, it is advised for individuals with this condition to undergo surgical treatment before attempting to conceive and bear children. If the ductus arteriosus remains untreated, the increased heart load during late pregnancy can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing and respiratory distress. It is recommended that these individuals undergo minimally invasive surgical treatment or conventional surgical treatment before planning for pregnancy, as this will be more appropriate.

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Written by Fan Yan Fu
Cardiology
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Does patent ductus arteriosus require open chest surgery?

Now, many cases of patent ductus arteriosus do not require open-chest surgery, as they can be treated minimally invasively by cardiologists through what is called interventional treatment. The ductus arteriosus is actually a vessel between the aorta and the pulmonary artery during the embryonic stage, which usually closes shortly after birth. If it does not close, it results in a congenital heart disease. In the past, before the widespread use of interventional treatments, open-chest surgery was required to ligate the vessel. With the broad implementation of interventional treatments, cardiologists can now treat this condition minimally invasively. This is mainly done by delivering a spring coil through a catheter to the ductus arteriosus which then blocks the vessel, allowing it to gradually close and thus achieve the therapeutic goal. Alternatively, a gelatin sponge can be delivered to the ductus arteriosus through a catheter to block and eventually close the vessel, achieving the desired treatment outcome.