persistent truncus arteriosus persistent truncus arteriosus persistent truncus arteriosus (pta), often referred to simply as truncus arteriosus, is a rare form of congenital heart disease that presents at birth. in this condition, the embryological structure known as the truncus arteriosus fails to properly divide into the pulmonary trunk and aorta. this results in one arterial trunk arising from the heart and providing mixed blood to the coronary arteries, pulmonary arteries, and systemic circulation. for the international classification of diseases (icd-11), the international paediatric and congenital cardiac code (ipccc) was developed to standardize the nomenclature of congenital heart disease. under this system, english is now the official language, and persistent truncus arteriosus should properly be termed common arterial trunk.