ductus arteriosus

noun

duc·tus ar·te·ri·o·sus ˈdək-təs-är-ˌtir-ē-ˈō-səs

: a short broad vessel in the fetus that connects the pulmonary artery with the aorta and conducts most of the blood directly from the right ventricle to the aorta bypassing the lungs

Examples of ductus arteriosus in a Sentence

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The joyous moment was made more difficult when the couple learned that their son, Ryan, was born with Down syndrome and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a type of congenital heart defect. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026 After 30 weeks, NSAIDs may cause premature closure of the ductus arteriosus, a vital fetal heart vessel. — Cameron Schoppa, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025 These include a procedure for a stoma opening and reversal on her bowel for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), heart surgery for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), bronchoscopies and tracheostomy procedures on her airway. — Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025 In this case, a blood vessel (called ductus arteriosus) that carries blood past the baby’s lungs before birth does not properly close after the baby is born. — Alexandria Jones-Patten, Phd, Health, 27 July 2024 Rarely, a murmur can be heard through a structure that should no longer be open, such as a patent ductus arteriosus -- necessary in fetal life to allow oxygenated blood from the placenta to flow into the developing fetal body. — Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 13 Aug. 2021 Doctors there eventually diagnosed her with patent ductus arteriosus, a heart abnormality that, at the time, generally led to an early death. — BostonGlobe.com, 28 Sep. 2019 Over the course of two and a half hours, Gross successfully tied off the child’s patent ductus arteriosus — a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart — allowing blood to flow normally. — BostonGlobe.com, 28 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, literally, arterial duct

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of ductus arteriosus was in 1811

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ductule

ductus arteriosus

ductwork

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Style

“Ductus arteriosus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ductus%20arteriosus. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

ductus arteriosus

noun

ductus ar·te·ri·o·sus -är-ˌtir-ē-ˈō-səs

: a short broad vessel in the fetus that connects the pulmonary artery with the aorta and conducts most of the blood directly from the right ventricle to the aorta bypassing the lungs

ductus arteriosus

noun

Examples of ductus arteriosus in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Medical Definition

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