PDA ligation in non-symptomatic infants?

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Do you routinely see this done? I've seen quite a few kiddies get ligated lately even though they had no symptoms related to their murmurs. I don't get it.

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I have once seen it done. That was a baby from Greenland that was going back home to its igloo and they dont have any heart specialists there.

Otherwise if the baby is completely non symptomatic they just wait and see and usually the PDA closes spontantly after a while.

We always try Indomethacin at least 3 doses and sometimes up to 6 before going to surgery.

I dont even remember when the last PDA ligation was in my unit...it was at least a year ago.

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I have once seen it done. That was a baby from Greenland that was going back home to its igloo and they dont have any heart specialists there.

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Now that just blows my mind!

No, if they are fine we let them go and follow up with cardiology later.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

We are seeing a trend in this too...and those kids are SICK after. I say leave well enough alone, but who am I?

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We do this for our asymptomatic kids in our facility to try and prevent lung damage due to increased pulmonary blood flow through the PDA if the kid has failed indocin or developed NEC related to indocin use.

If the baby is near term and asymptomatic they follow-up after discharge.

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We do it as well.

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