Can a patent ductus arteriosus heal by itself?
The ductus arteriosus is a duct that fetal blood must pass through as it is transported from the placenta to the aorta. This duct connects between the main pulmonary artery and the aorta of the fetus and generally closes on its own after birth. Most patients can close it spontaneously within three months, but the likelihood of closure diminishes if it surpasses one year. Therefore, for patent ductus arteriosus, some people can heal on their own, while others, especially children over one year old, cannot heal by themselves and are advised to undergo surgery as soon as possible. This is because the patent ductus arteriosus can cause a condition similar to an arteriovenous fistula, increasing the workload on the heart, leading to cardiac hypertrophy and eventual heart failure.
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