Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Specialists in Safdarjung, Delhi

What is Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia?

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is a birth defect in which an opening in the diaphragm allows abdominal organs such as the stomach, intestines, and liver to move into the chest cavity during fetal development, compressing the developing lungs and heart. This impairs normal lung growth, a condition called pulmonary hypoplasia, and can also disrupt pulmonary blood vessel development leading to pulmonary hypertension after birth. It occurs in roughly 1 in 2,500 to 3,000 live births and is usually detected on a prenatal ultrasound during the second trimester. Severity varies widely depending on which side is affected, the extent of lung compression, and whether other organ systems or genetic syndromes are also involved, and affected newborns typically require immediate specialized neonatal intensive care and surgery within the first days to weeks of life.

Causes of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia results from incomplete fusion of the diaphragm during fetal development between roughly the eighth and tenth week of gestation, allowing abdominal contents to herniate into the thoracic cavity. In most cases the cause is unknown and the defect occurs sporadically, though a minority of cases are linked to chromosomal abnormalities, genetic syndromes, or environmental exposures during pregnancy. A family history of the condition modestly increases risk in subsequent pregnancies.

Symptoms of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

severe difficulty breathing at birth, bluish discoloration of the skin (cyanosis), rapid breathing, sunken or scaphoid-appearing abdomen, asymmetric chest movement, displaced heart sounds, poor blood oxygen saturation, feeding difficulty, low birth weight

Treatment & Types of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in Safdarjung, Delhi

Management begins with prenatal planning and delivery at a center with neonatal surgical capability, followed by immediate respiratory stabilization using gentle ventilation strategies and, in severe cases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support the lungs before surgery. Surgical repair to return the abdominal organs to the abdomen and close the diaphragmatic defect, either by direct suture or with a synthetic patch, is performed once the infant is medically stable rather than as an emergency procedure. Long-term follow-up includes monitoring for chronic lung disease, gastroesophageal reflux, feeding and growth delays, and developmental support.

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