The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel that connects the aorta and the pulmonary artery in the fetus. When the blood vessel does not close after birth as it should, the resulting congenital heart defect is called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
Most children can have the PDA closed using medical devices in the cardiac catheterization lab and go home the same day. In some cases, cardiac surgery may be required to correct the problem. Surgery is most often needed for premature infants who are too small for the medical devices.
