Preterm Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) Closure Program

At Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, we’re pleased to offer the very latest in patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) device closure technology for preterm infants, including those born with extremely low birth weight, to help ensure the best possible outcomes for our smallest patients. Preterm babies with persistently patent (open) ductus arteriosus (a natural connection between the main arteries of the heart and lungs during fetal development) may have difficulty breathing and may not progress as preterm babies should after birth. Normally, the connection closes on its own, but sometimes it stays open. If your baby has symptoms from having a PDA, such as working hard to breathe and not growing well, the PDA can be closed through a cardiac catheterization procedure.

Our interdisciplinary care team—pediatric cardiologists, neonatologists, and anesthesiologists—work together to seamlessly care for your critically ill infant before, during, and after a patent ductus arteriosus closure procedure.

Why choose the Preterm PDA Closure Program at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health

Excellent care

Stanford Medicine Children’s Health’s cardiology and neonatology teams have gained a reputation for providing the highest level of care to very small babies with complex heart conditions. Our expert teams have a patient-centric approach to care, and they look after all of your child’s needs, providing wrap-around care for your whole child and your family. Both our cardiology and neonatology teams are available 24/7 to provide quick and expert consult, and they will keep you informed of your child’s condition at all times.

Outstanding outcomes

Our Betty Irene Moore Children’s Heart Center is one of the leading pediatric heart centers in the nation, and it includes a robust team of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery experts. Our heart team welcomes the most challenging heart cases and achieves an overall pediatric heart surgery survival rate that exceeds 97%, which is even more impressive given the high complexity of heart cases treated at Moore Children’s Heart Center. Our interventional cardiologists, like our renowned cardiothoracic surgeons, specialize in high-risk heart conditions and perform over 1,200 catheterization procedures each year, including PDA closures in children of all sizes, even babies as small as 700 grams (1.5 pounds).

Seamless coordination of care

The care for your baby begins in our neonatology program, which is ranked third in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. At every step in the process, from arrival to procedure to recovery to discharge, our neonatologists work side by side with cardiologists at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford to ensure that your baby will have the best possible outcome. Many infants who are not yet ready for discharge can be transferred back to your community hospital.