What's the safest way to treat patent ductus arteriosus?

Drugs, device, knife: Intravenous drugs such as Indomethacin is safest and should be tried first. Percutaneous catheter closure is a second good option. For those who don't respond or aren't candidates, surgery can be done, either through a thoracoscope or as an open procedure.

It depends: In newborns, closure of a patent ductus arteriosus may be achieved through medications (such as Indomethacin or ibuprofen) or by surgical ligation and division. In older children or adults, ductal closure is usually performed by a catheter-based approach, or surgical ligation and division. All of these therapies are generally safe, but all have certain risks associated with them.