Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe congenital anomaly which impairs normal pulmonary development leading to acute and chronic respiratory failure, pulmonary hypoplasia, pulmonary hypertension, and mortality. CDH is the most common non-cardiac indication for neonatal ECMO. Prenatal and postnatal predictors of CDH severity aid in patient selection. Centers vary in preferred mode of ECMO and timing of CDH repair. Survivors of severe CDH with ECMO are at risk for long-term sequelae including neurodevelopmental delays.