Do we still need the surgeon to close the persistently patent arterial duct?

The closure of larger ducts using multiple coils was appealing, and often proved to be successful, but was associated with an increased risk of left pulmonary arterial stenosis,9 and a relatively high rate of inadvertent embolization.10 The introduction of the Cook detachable coil provided an even safer option,11 and this device almost entirely replaced the Gianturco coil for closing small duct. [...] calcification of the duct favours transcatheter closure.20 In concert with the latter view, we believe that worldwide there is a general, albeit unofficial, consensus among the community of physicians dealing with congenital cardiac disease that transcatheter closure is today the treatment of choice for patency of the arterial duct, with cardiac surgery being indicated only rarely.