Dr. A.Q.M Reza, Consultant – Cardiology of Apollo Hospitals Dhaka, and his team have successfully treated a two-and-a-half-year-old baby with Patent Ductus Arteriosus by implanting a PDA device. This is a first time successful pioneering endeavour in the hospital.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a birth defect which is common in babies with congenital heart problems in which a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus fails to close normally in an infant soon after birth. The word "patent" means open. The condition leads to abnormal blood flow between the aorta and pulmonary artery, two major blood vessels that carry blood from the heart. Before birth, the ductus arteriosus allows blood to bypass the baby's lungs by connecting the pulmonary arteries (which supply blood to the lungs) with the aorta (which supplies blood to the body). Soon after the infant is born and the lungs fill with air, this blood vessel is no longer needed. It will usually close within a couple of days. If the ductus arteriosus does not close, there will be abnormal blood circulation between the heart and lungs. A small PDA may not cause any symptoms. However, some infants may not tolerate a PDA, especially if it is large, and may have symptoms such as bounding pulse, fast breathing, poor feeding habits, shortness of breath, sweating while feeding, tiring very easily, poor growth of babies. Left untreated, a patent ductus arteriosus can cause too much blood to flow through the heart, weakening the heart muscle and causing heart failure and other complications.
 
If you want to know more about PDA and its treatment, e-mail at info@apollodhaka.com