Surgical Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) in Children

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 4, 2025.

• Care notes
• Ambulatory
• Discharge
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Surgical closure of a PDA is done if the PDA is too large to be closed by other methods or your child's symptoms are severe. This surgery is also called surgical ligation.

DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS:

Call 911 for any of the following:

• Your child feels lightheaded, is short of breath, and has chest pain.
• Your child coughs up blood.
• Your child's skin is blue around his or her mouth or fingertips.

Seek care immediately if:

• Blood soaks through your child's bandage.
• The skin around your child's incision is red, swollen, or has pus draining from it.
• Your child's stitches or staples come apart.

Contact your child's cardiologist if:

• Your child has pain that will not go away even after he takes pain medicine.
• Your child has a fever.
• Your child has chills, a cough, or sounds congested.
• You have questions or concerns about your child's condition or care.

Medicines:

Your child may need any of the following:

• Antibiotics may be given to prevent a bacterial infection.
• Prescription pain medicine may be given. Ask your child's healthcare provider how to give your child this medicine safely.
• Acetaminophen decreases pain and fever. It is available without a doctor's order. Ask how much to give your child and how often to give it. Follow directions. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage if not taken correctly.
• Do not give aspirin to children younger than 18 years. Your child could develop Reye syndrome if he or she has the flu or a fever and takes aspirin. Reye syndrome can cause life-threatening brain and liver damage. Check your child's medicine labels for aspirin or salicylates.
• Give your child's medicine as directed. Contact your child's healthcare provider if you think the medicine is not working as expected. Tell the provider if your child is allergic to any medicine. Keep a current list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs your child takes. Include the amounts, and when, how, and why they are taken. Bring the list or the medicines in their containers to follow-up visits. Carry your child's medicine list with you in case of an emergency.

Drugs used to treat this and similar conditions

Activity:

Let your child rest as much as needed. Ask your child's healthcare provider when he or she can return to his normal daily activities.

Incision care:

Care for your child's incision as directed. Carefully wash around the incision with soap and water. It is okay to let soap and water run over the incision. Do not scrub the incision. Dry the area and put on new, clean bandages as directed. Change your child's bandages when they get wet or dirty. Monitor your child's incision every day for swelling, redness, or pus.

Help protect your child from illness:

Keep your child away from people who are sick. Ask family or friends not to visit if they are sick. Ask all visitors to wash their hands. Do not take your child to crowded places such as the mall or movies. Ask his healthcare provider how long you need to follow these directions.

Do not smoke around your child:

Secondhand smoke can harm your child's heart and lungs. If you smoke, it is never too late to quit. Ask your healthcare provider for information if you need help quitting.

Follow up with your child's cardiologist as directed:

Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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