Abstract Treatment strategies in patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants (PIs) have evolved in recent years and vary substantially between centers. While recent recommendations increasingly advocate for a more conservative approach to PDA management, transcatheter PDA closure (TCPC) has simultaneously become a well-established alternative to surgical ligation—even in very small PIs—after failure of medical treatment. Particularly in light of the ongoing conflicting perspectives in the field of optimal PDA management in PIs, our objective was to compare frequency, efficiency, and complications of surgical closure versus TCPC in a real-world setting. Between 2022 and 2023, we conducted a prospective nationwide hospital-based surveillance study including preterm infants 700 g, expanding interventional options in this vulnerable population. What is New: • Surgical PDA closure seems to be still the preferred PDA treatment option in Germany especially in more immature infants. • Overall safety demonstrated no meaningful difference between TCPC and surgical PDA closure.
Adelheid et al. (Wed,) studied this question.