See Also: ductus arteriosus(encyclopedia)
ductus arteriosus(medicine)
Ductus arteriosus(health)
patent ductus arteriosus(medicine)
ductus arteriosus, patent(medicine)
Patent ductus arteriosus(health)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
pseudotruncus arteriosus(medicine)
truncus arteriosus(medicine)
conus arteriosus(medicine)

tragi (medicine) and ductus arteriosus (medicine)


tragi (medicine)


tragi


1. Plural of tragus.

2. The hairs growing at the entrance to the external acoustic meatus.


ductus arteriosus (medicine)


ductus arteriosus


Before birth, the blood headed from the heart (via the pulmonary artery) for the lungs is shunted away from the lungs and returned to the greatest of arteries (the aorta). The shunt is through a short vessel called the ductus arteriosus. When the shunt is open, it is said to be patent (pronounced pa'tent). The patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) usually closes at or shortly after birth and blood is permtted from that moment on to course freely to the lungs. If the ductus stays open (patent), flow reverses and blood from the aorta is shunted into the pulmonary artery and recirculated through the lungs. The PDA may close later spontaneously (on its own) or need to be ligated (tied off) surgically.