Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Honors Paper

Degree Name

Biology-BS

Department

Biology & Earth Science

Advisor

Dr. Lisa Marr

First Committee Member

Dr. Lisa Marr

Second Committee Member

Dr. Jeff Vasiloff

Third Committee Member

Dr. Jennifer Bennett

Keywords

Percutaneous closure, Patent Ductus Arteriosus, Infants, Effects of Percutaneous PDA closure

Subject Categories

Cardiology | Pediatrics

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and feasibility of percutaneous PDA closure in infants as reported in the available medical literature. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is the continuous opening of the ductus arteriosus in an infant’s heart after birth. This, when left untreated, can lead to severe health complications. Historically, the first treatment options to correct PDA were the use of medications and surgical ligation. Percutaneous PDA closure is a newer treatment option that is increasingly performed during infancy (age); however, its safety and feasibility is not yet understood in infants. We conducted a systematic review of all pertinent published data. Of 1060 articles identified, only 19 articles met inclusion criteria satisfactorily. Eighteen articles were case-control studies and 1 was a cohort study. No randomized controlled studies were identified. The tally of patients from all 19 articles revealed 505 patients undergoing percutaneous closure of PDA. Of these, 471 (93%) were reported to have attained complete PDA closure. In addition, a total of 154 adverse events (AEs) (30.5%) were identified. Of the total AEs found in the total cohort, 76 (15%) AEs were deemed clinically significant (CS), while 78 (15.4%) were non-clinically significant (NCS). Our systematic review demonstrates the procedure is feasible; nonetheless, there are risks worth noting. Further comparative studies of percutaneous PDA closure with other treatment options (medications or surgery) are vital to better understand which treatment offers the best outcomes for infants.

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