Patent Ductus Arteriosus Device Closure Treatment

Patent Ductus Arteriosus device closure is a minimally invasive procedure to treat congenital heart disease, which affects many children around the world. The condition causes health issues like weight gain, poor blood circulation, and feeding problems. According to statistics, 1 in 2000 infants are born with PDA defects. Premature babies are more likely to be born with PDA. In this condition a baby’s heart could not act normally and return the blood to the lungs instead of sending it to the other body organ. 

As a result, blood vessels in the lungs have to take an overload of more blood than usual. This causes pressure on the heart and lungs and it makes breathing difficult. It happens due to the opening in the heart between the aorta and pulmonary artery that is known as ductus arteriosus. Therefore, pediatric surgeons and doctors recommend Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) Device Closure treatment. It is a minimally-invasive procedure performed by pediatric cardiologists to close the ductus arteriosus. 

PDA Treatment Option For Infants 

• Observation:  Initially doctors closely monitor an infant’s heart and blood vessels to determine treatment whether the PDA is closing properly or too small to cause a problem. 
• Medication:  Certain medications like an intravenous IV medications known as indomethacin may help close PDA in premature babies. 
• Open-Heart Surgery: When doctors find other treatments are not effective enough then they perform the open heart surgery. Where they open the chest through incisions and fix the problems according to their medical skills. 
• Transcatheter Closure:  In this procedure doctors insert a soft, wire mesh PDA closure device through a catheter to stop the blood flow through a PDA. The procedure poses less risks and minimum recovery period. 

Cost of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Device 

PDA Device cost ranges from INR 3,20,000 to INR 4,60,000. However, it is not considered as a final cost. The overall cost of the treatment depends on various factors like hospital type, surgeon expertise, hospital location, medications and diagnosis expenses and many more. Although it is a life saving and effective treatment method to restore the normal blood circulation in the heart arteries. 

Types of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Device 

There are different types of device which used to treat PDA these include: 

• Amplatzer Duct Occluder: The Amplatzer duct occluder is a self-expanding double-disk device purposely designed to close PDA in infants. The device is inserted in the body through a catheter. It is used for moderate to large PDAs and it is effective enough in both children and adults.
• Cera PDA Occluder: This is also another type of device used to provide safe and effective results for PDA closure. It has a similar design to the Amplatzer device however it is made of a different material and may have a slightly different shape and structure. The device is used for medium to large PDA. 
• Gore Cardio Form Septal Occluder: It is usually designed to treat atrial septal defect, however, the gore cardio form occluder has also been used in PDA closure as well. It can be an alternative choice for patients with difficult anatomy. Due to its soft, flexible material it is popular among doctors and patients because it reduces complications. 
• Simplici-T Device: This type of device is used in smaller PDAs specially in infants and neonates. It has a more compact design and can be inserted through a smaller catheter. 
• Vascular Plug: This is typically used for smaller PDA closures and complex anatomical shapes. It is often used when other devices are not effective. Furthermore, it is a replacement of traditional occluders. 

Complications Associated with PDA Closure

Patent ductus arteriosus device closure treatment is usually considered a safe and effective method. However, in rare cases it can pose complications. These complications may vary depending on factors like the patient’s age, the size of the PDA, and type of the device used. Here are a few of possible complications:   

• Device Malposition 
• Device Embolization 
• Infection 
• Bleeding 
• Irregular heart beat 
• Blood Clotting 
• Lung collapsed 
• PDA Recurrence 
• Pericardial Effusion
• Leakage 
• Allergic Reactions 

Patent Ductus Arteriosus Device Procedure 

Patent ductus arteriosus device closure treatment procedure involve minimal incisions and it is done in following steps these include:

• The first step is anesthesia with mild sedation so the patient will remain relaxed throughout the procedure.
• After that the doctor starts inserting a catheter through the femoral artery. 
• In the meantime the catheter is guided to the heart using electrocardiography or fluoroscopy.
• Once the closure device is delivered through the catheter into the PDA the device expands to seal the ductus arteriosus and start restoring normal blood flow in the heart and the entire body. 
• Once the device is effectively placed, the catheter is removed and the patient is sent to the ward for monitoring complications like bleeding, infection, etc. 
• The entire procedure usually takes 1-2 hours however it totally depends on the complications.