The baby’s ductus arteriosus – the shunt connecting the pulmonary artery to the aortic arch and allowing most of the blood from the right ventricle to bypass the fetus’ fluid-filled lungs – failed to close, according to doctors.

He was then diagnosed as having patent ductus arteriosus, a congenital heart defect.

H. is the smallest baby that has ever been diagnosed with the defect in Vietnam, a local newswire recently quoted Liem as saying.

Liem told Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper the defect is rather common among babies, accounting for 18 to 20 percent of congenital heart defects.

If left uncorrected, patent ductus arteriosus may lead to congestive heart failure in older children and adults.

H. is being closely monitored by the doctors, Liem said.

Source: TN