RT Book, Section A1 Reese, Jeff A1 Cotton, Robert B. A2 Stevenson, David K. A2 Cohen, Ronald S. A2 Sunshine, Philip SR Print(0) ID 1109793090 T1 Patent Ductus Arteriosus T2 Neonatology: Clinical Practice and Procedures YR 2015 FD 2015 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071763769 LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1109793090 RD 2024/03/29 AB The ductus arteriosus is a central vascular shunt that interconnects the pulmonary artery and aorta during fetal life. A ductus or similar structure is present in mammals and most other vertebrates and is embryologically derived from the distal portion of the left sixth branchial arch.1,2 As a result of the relatively large size of the ductus and the high resistance of the pulmonary vascular circuit in utero, approximately 90% of right ventricular output flows though the ductus and into the systemic circulation, thus bypassing the unaerated fetal lung.