Galal et al: Transcatheter closure of arterial duct 523 device reported by Rashkind and Cuaso. 6 Initial success with the Rashkind device suggested that it might well be the management of choice. The double umbrella, however, was unwieldy, and required a large bore sheath for its introduction. When used to close large ducts in small children, there was also a risk of causing left pulmonary arterial stenosis or aortic narrowing. Moreover, the device was suitable only if the narrowest diameter of the duct was less than 9 millimetres. About half of patients with persistently patent ducts, therefore, would have still needed surgical ligation. 7 By the early 1990s, Cambier et al. 8 had led the way in using Gianturco coils to close small ducts. Such coils were much less cumbersome than the umbrellas, and hence found rapid worldwide acceptance. But such coils were still of use only in smaller ducts, measuring less than three millimetres at their narrowest diameter. The closure of larger ducts using multiple coils was appealing, and often proved to be successful, but was associated with an increased risk of left pulmonary arterial stenosis, 9 and a relatively high rate of inadvertent embolization. 10 The introduction of the Cook detachable coil provided an even safer option, 11 and this device almost entirely replaced the Gianturco coil for closing small duct. Then, in 1993, the PFM coil was introduced for clinical use. It has since undergone several modifications, but clinical experience is now encouraging when it is used for closing the small and moderate patent arterial duct. 12 Despite these developments, the large ducts still remained in the domain of the surgeon. Rao et al., 13 as well as later Grifka et al., 14 designed devices to close such larger ducts, but neither device emerged as a significantly marketable option. It was the emergence of the Amplatzer duct occluder that expanded the options of the interventional cardiologist. This device is currently used safely and effectively for closure of ducts measuring up to 16 millimetres at their narrowest diameter.