Abstract
Overall survival of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients has increased since
the widespread implementation of delayed operative repair with extracorporeal membrane
oxygenation/gentle ventilation strategies starting in the mid-1990s. With the improvements
in survival, CDH survivorship has been marked by increased morbidity with a greater
need for monitoring and supportive interventions in infancy and early childhood. The
multisystem morbidity and complexity of care for these patients mandate the dedicated
resources and focus of medical specialties to ensure that the neurodevelopmental,
cardiopulmonary, nutritional, and surgical sequelae of CDH are properly addressed.
In this article, we will discuss the experience of CDH centers that offer long-term
CDH follow-up as well as the patients' morbidities that require active monitoring
until transition to adult care.
Keywords
congenital diaphragmatic hernia - follow-up - outcome