Ligation of Patent Ductus Arteriosus by the Method of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery

In April and May 1996, two cases of PDA ligation were performed for the first time in Turkey by the method of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in Dokuz Eylül Medical Faculty, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Department. There was no complication in these patients in the postoperative period and they were discharged symptom-free the second day having confirmed a closed ductus in echocardiographic examination. Between February 1992 and May 1996 a total of 39 patients have undergone interventional application by VATS in our Department. While in four of these patients the procedure could not be manipulated because of massive pleural fibrosis, there was no mortality or morbidity among the patients, and they were discharged on an average the second postoperative day. The ratio of the complications, such as bleeding, air leak, arrhythmia and empyema were very low in these operations, and the hospitalization period as well as the returning time to the job were shorter than the open technique.