Evaluation of postoperative complications for patent ductus arteriosus in extremely-low-birthweight infants.

BACKGROUND

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which disrupts the hemodynamics early after birth, causes intraventricular hemorrhage and neonatal necrotizing. Unlike medical treatment for hemodynamically significant PDA, there are institutional disparities in the criteria for surgical treatment

METHODS

We aimed to clarify the postoperative indications of surgery for hemodynamically significant PDA and the postoperative complications associated with surgery.

RESULTS

Thirty-six extremely-low-birthweight infants (median gestational age 25.2 weeks, median birthweight 699 g) required video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for PDA (VATS-PDA). The treatment indication of VATS-PDA was resistance to medical treatment in 17 cases, relapsed PDA in 15 cases, and no additional administration of indomethacin because of severe side effects in four cases. Complications with VATS-PDA occurred in eight of 36 cases. There were three cases of pneumothorax, two of thoracotomy transition, two of pulmonary hemorrhage, and four of post-ligation cardiac syndrome (PLCS). VATS-PDA-related death occurred in two cases due to PLCS. The frequency of four or more administrations of indomethacin, with or without postoperative complications, was 88% vs. 39%, respectively (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

All postoperative deaths were caused by PLCS, which had the highest risk of poor prognosis. VATS-PDA should be considered for unclosed PDA after one course of indomethacin administration.