Omphalocele and alveolar capillary dysplasia: a new association.

OBJECTIVE

First report of an infant with coexistent omphalocele and alveolar capillary dysplasia.

DESIGN

Descriptive case report.

SETTING

Neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary care children's hospital.

PATIENT

We describe a term infant with omphalocele and respiratory insufficiency attributable to pulmonary hypertension. The patient was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, but the pulmonary hypertension persisted. After 10 days on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a lung biopsy was performed. It showed alveolar capillary dysplasia. Because of the lethal prognosis, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was withdrawn and the patient expired.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first description of an association between omphalocele and alveolar capillary dysplasia. In newborns with omphalocele who have severe respiratory insufficiency and pulmonary hypertension, alveolar capillary dysplasia should be considered.