Unsolved problems in CDH follow-up

Front Pediatr. 2022 Oct 26:10:977354. doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.977354. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

In patients affected by CDH, survival beyond the neonatal period continues to increase thanks to technological and pharmacological improvements. Conversely, patients, families and caregivers are more and more frequently facing "new" complex late comorbidities, including chronic pulmonary and cardiac dysfunctions, neurodevelopmental challenges, and specific nutritional requirements, that often require ongoing long-term medical or surgical care. Therefore, late morbidity is now a key focus in clinical care of CDH. The aims of this paper are to stress some of the most important "unsolved problems" for CDH patients at long-term follow-up.

Keywords: congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH); hearing loss; long-term follow-up; neurodevelopment; problems; pulmonary hypertension; thoracoscopy.