Surgical Treatment of PDA in Infants Under One Year of Age

Twenty two cases of PDA in infants under one year of age were operated on in Tianjin Children's Hospital since 1978, mostly from April 1985 to 1986. Diagnosis was made by peripheral vascular signs and echocardiography combined with chest X-ray. The murmur may be obscured or altered in heart failure, in 59% of the patients only a systolic murmur could be heard. In this age group, PDA with clinical symptoms including those of -heart failure or pneumonia should always be the indication of operative interruption. Good exposure can be obtained from the extrapleural approach. The convalescence was smooth in all patients and there was no postoperative complications or death.