See Also: ductus arteriosus(encyclopedia)
ductus arteriosus(medicine)
Ductus arteriosus(health)
ductus arteriosus, patent(medicine)
Patent ductus arteriosus(health)
patent ductus arteriosus(medicine)
pseudotruncus arteriosus(medicine)
truncus arteriosus(medicine)
conus arteriosus(medicine)
circulus arteriosus halleri(medicine)

Ductus arteriosus (health)


A key arterial shunt (ductus) in fetal life. Before birth, blood pumped from the heart through the pulmonary artery toward the lungs is shunted into the aorta. This arterial shunt is a short vessel called the ductus arteriosus. When the shunt is open, it is said to be patent.