Our aim was to review the outcome of ligation of the persistently patent arterial duct in neonates as performed outside a paediatric cardiothoracic centre by an outreach surgical team.

A retrospective observational study of all ligations of the persistently patent arterial duct performed in Cambridge between January, 1988, and December, 2002.

Over the period of 15 years studied, a persistently patent arterial duct was ligated in 43 neonates. The median gestational age at birth was 26 weeks, with a range from 23 to 35 weeks, and median weight at birth was 722 grams, with a range from 500 to 2100 grams. Median age at ligation, was 25 days, with a range from 10 to 89 days, and their weight was 963 grams, with a range from 568 to 2221 grams. Ligation was successful in 42 babies (98%), mortality at 30 days of 5%, and 29 of the babies (67%) surviving to be discharged from the hospital. The late deaths were due to complications of prematurity, rather than the procedure of ligation.

The persistently patent arterial duct can successfully be ligated by an outreach surgical team outside a paediatric cardiothoracic centre. There was an excellent 30 day survival.