A novel method to maintain ductus arteriosus patency

Survival of patients with certain ductal-dependent congenital heart diseases depends on continued patency of the ductus arteriosus or the surgical creation of an aortopulmonary shunt. The latter may be difficult in the presence of hypoplastic pulmonary arteries. Long-term prostaglandin therapy may be used to maintain ductal patency but is not without limitation and side effects. This experimental study describes a novel approach to maintain ductal patency with a stainless steel stent. Six newborn lambs ≤48-h old had a ductal stent placed during right heart catheterization. Two lambs