Histology of the persistent ductus arteriosus in cases of congenital rubella.

Histologic study of the persistent ductus arteriosus in case of a congenital rubella syndrome revealed that this persistency is probably due to an arrest in the development of the ductus. Histologically, it resembles a very immature ductus and not the most common type of persistent ductus arteriosus. The earlier finding, that in the human ductus arteriosus, the presence of an extensive subendothelial elastic lamina is incompatible with anatomic sealing, still holds.