Patent ductus arteriosus anatomy


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org],, Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [mailto:kfeeney@perfuse.org]

Overview
Patent ductus arteriosus, or PDA, is a heart condition that is normal but reverses soon after birth. In a persistent PDA, there is an irregular transmission of blood between two of the most important arteries (aorta and pulmonary artery) in close proximity to the heart. Although the ductus arteriosus normally seals off within a few days, in PDA, the newborn's ductus arteriosus does not close, but remains patent.