PERSISTÊNCIA DO DUCTO ARTERIOSO - REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

The ductus arteriosus is a vessel that connects the pulmonary artery to the descending aorta and its function is to divert blood from the collapsed lungs to aorta during fetal life. The persistence of this duct after birth characterizes the patent ductus arteriosus, consisting of one of the most common congenital heart disease in dogs. Animals that have the classic form of the disease (left to right shunt) manifest clinical signs of left congestive heart failure and animals with right to left shunt presents right ventricular hypertrophy and polycythemia. Definitive diagnosis is obtained by echocardiography and also by angiography. The therapies used for duct occlusion include surgical ligation by thoracotomy and percutaneous