One year ago today Jordan had her surgery (PDA ligation). This was a very scary and emotional day for Troy and I. To see your 10 day old baby go through something like this was very heart wrenching. This was just the start of Jordan's fight to survive. When you look at her now you would never know that she spent her first few weeks of her life fighting for her life.
What Is Patent Ductus Arteriosus?
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart problem that occurs soon after birth in some babies. In PDA, abnormal blood flow occurs between two of the major arteries connected to the heart.
Before birth, the two major arteries—the aorta and the pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) artery—are connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus. This vessel is an essential part of fetal blood circulation.
Within minutes or up to a few days after birth, the vessel is supposed to close as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby's circulation.
In some babies, however, the ductus arteriosus remains open (patent). This opening allows oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to mix with oxygen-poor blood from the pulmonary artery. This can put strain on the heart and increase blood pressure in the lung arteries.
No comments:
Post a Comment