Bedside Ductal Clipping in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Single-centre Experience

Objectives: Patent ductus arteriosus is a common problem in preterm neonates and may lead to pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and neurodevelopmental disorders in the long term if not treated in time. Bedside PDA clipping in the neonatal intensive care unit is crucial for achieving satisfactory outcomes. However, the ideal anesthetic management to ensure optimal results remains debatable. Herein, we report our unit’s anesthetic management and surgical outcomes.
Methods: Between January 2023 and September 2024, 10 neonates underwent bedside ductal clipping at our unit. Relevant information, including preoperative, operative, and early postoperative data, was retrospectively collected.
Results: A total of 10 patients, with a median age of 33.5 days (27–55.5 days) and a median weight of 1297.5 g (1088.75–2350 g), were included in the study. The median total surgical time, from skin incision to closure, was 41.5 minutes (30.5–49 minutes). All patients were monitored with NIRS in addition to standard monitoring. There was no operative mortality, and postoperative recovery was uneventful. One patient died during hospitalization due to sepsis. The remaining patients stayed a median of 35 days (15–36.75 days) after PDA clipping before discharge.
Conclusion: We concluded that close monitoring of vital parameters, including near-infrared spectroscopy, is of utmost importance for the early detection of intraoperative complications. Thus, we achieved satisfactory early outcomes. However, the long-term neurodevelopmental consequences must be monitored.