what is the ductus arteriosus
The ductus arteriosus is a wide muscular blood vessel joining the pulmonary artery (main artery to the lungs) to the aorta (main artery to the body).This connection allows blood to be diverted from the lungs into the aorta during fetal development since the baby does not breathe until after delivery.he ductus arteriosus is a wide muscular blood vessel joining the pulmonary artery (main artery to the lungs) to the aorta (main artery to the body).
In the developing fetus, the ductus arteriosus, also called the ductus Botalli, is a blood vessel connecting the pulmonary artery to the proximal descending aorta.ain article: Patent ductus arteriosus. Failure of the DA to close after birth results in a condition called patent ductus arteriosus and the generation of a left-to-right shunt. If left uncorrected, patency leads to pulmonary hypertension and possibly congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias.