Elongated Patent Ductus Arteriosus with Intermittent Shunting

The presence of patent ductus arteriosus without a typical continuous murmur has long been recognized, especially in the presence of pulmonary hypertension, or a small ductus, or with associated cardiac defects; however, there are only a few reports of documented, intermittently disappearing murmurs occurring in individuals over 6 months of age with a substantial shunt in the absence of pulmonary hypertension or associated defects. Danilowicz, et al. have recently reported delayed closure of the ductus anteriosus up to 6 months of age in some premature infants. We present this case report of a 2½-year-old boy with patent ductus arteriosus with cardiac catheterizations during the disappearance and subsequent reappearance of a continuous murmur with documentation of absence of shunting when the murmur was absent and substantial shunting if the murmur was present.