What do survivors of congenital diaphragmatic hernia look like when they grow up?

Abstract

An important consequence of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) era is a renewed interest by pediatric surgeons in the infant with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). As increasing numbers of the infants survive, previously unappreciated aspects of the problem are being unmasked, provoking important questions as to their etiology. Importantly, as these children grow and develop, we must ask ourselves if their various problems are specific to CDH or are they consequences of our treatment strategies. This article considers pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, and neurocognitive markers of outcome.