Indicators of surgical treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm neonates in the first week of life

Objective: To identify clinical and echocardiographic indicators of the necessity for early surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm neonates. Methods: The prospective study was conducted at the Neonatal Unit of Hospital Municipal Odilon Behrens between 2006 and 2010. The study population comprised 115 preterm neonates diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus in the first week after birth, of whom 55 (group S) were submitted to clinical and or surgical closure and 60 (group NS) received nonsurgical treatment. The parameters analyzed were birth weight, diameter of the ductus arteriosus (DAD), left atrial-to-aortic root diameter ratio (LA:Ao), the quotient of DAD 2 and birth