A 4-week-old girl has been diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus and will undergo cardiac catheterization for closure of a patent ductus arteriosus. The patient was born at 30 weeks gestation due to placental abruption. She has been cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit since delivery. Pulse oximetry shows 99% in the right hand and left foot. Echocardiography shows a moderately sized patent ductus arteriosus. After catheterization but before closure, blood gases are obtained from several locations. Compared with the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) of a normal infant, this patient would be expected to have a higher PaO₂ in which of the following locations?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: In patients with patent ductus arteriosus, left-to-right shunting of oxygenated blood from the aorta into the pulmonary artery results in a higher-than-expected oxygen concentration in the pulmonary artery. Oxygen saturation in the left and right heart chambers is unchanged

A 4-Week-Old Girl Has Been Diagnosed with Patent Ductus Arteriosus