A Case of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in an 88-Year-Old Patient

The patient was an 88-year-old woman. Chest X-rays revealed cardiomegaly, pulmonary congestion and pleural effusion. Electrocardiogram was sinus rhythm with STT changes. Transesophageal echocardiography showed the left ventricular ejection fraction 27% with pulmonary hypertension (67 mmHg). A shunt flow was noted from the descending aorta to the pulmonary artery with a Qp/Qs of 1.3. By day 7, the pleural effusion had dissipated. However, she later passed away. A literature search revealed that she is the oldest patient to be diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) by transesophageal echocardiography and that she is the third oldest reported case of PDA.