Patent ductus arteriosus. Follow-up of 677 operated cases 40 years later.

Background: This review is about the patency of ductus arteriosus (PDA), with particular care concerning diagnosis, surgical techniques, survival and postoperative pregnancy in operated females.

Methods: a) Sperimental study: the research has been conducted retrospectively and the follow-up is 40 years. b)

Environment: all the patients were operated on in the Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Turin (public structure) and in the Italian Institution of Cardiac Surgery (private structure). c)

Patients: from 1958 to 1987, 677 patients were operated on: mean age was 11.5 +/- 8.7 years. A complete follow-up was made on 487 patients (72%). d) Technique of operation: left lateral thoracotomy was often performed; in younger children, however, the tying of PDA was frequently made within the pericardium by left anterior thoracotomy in the third intercostal space. In uncomplicated situations, PDA was tied more frequently than divided, by two purse string stitches and one or two transfixed ligatures. e)

Survey: overall early and late mortality, the clinical conditions of all patients, pregnancies and preor postoperative miscarriages of operated women were examined.

Results: From 1958 to 1967 overall early mortality was 5%; during the following years, there was no hospital mortality. The recurrence of PDA occurred only in 4 patients. 72% of the operated females became pregnant.

Conclusion: Life expectancy is normal after surgical closure of an uncomplicated PDA in infancy or in childhood but premature death may not always be avoided operating on adults with long-standing chronic congestive heart failure. At least, postoperative pregnancy is not a risk factor for the mother and PDA seems not to be correlated to foetal transmission.