8th March 2024

Patent Ductus Arteriosus

The patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a remnant of the normal embryonic vessel called the ductus arteriosus, which connects the left pulmonary artery to the aorta. If the PDA fails to close after birth, the direction of blood flow leads to a left-to-right shunt.  The reported incidence is around 1 in 2000 live births with a 2:1 female predominance. Important risk factors include congenital rubella; premature birth, genetic predisposition and birth at high altitude. 

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (2012). Patent ductus arteriosus, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_ductus_arteriosus (Accessed: 26 January 2024).