Congenital Diaphragm Hernia: Case Report

Vicente Sanhueza Osses¹, Cristobal Arroyo Zambrano², Manuel Alvarez Vaccaro³ and Alejandro Alvarez Jara⁴*
¹Medical intern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Concepción, Chile
²Fifth-year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception, Chile
³Third-year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago de Chile
⁴Pediatrician, Pediatric and Fetal Cardiologist, Pediatric Service and Fetal Examination Unit, Guillermo Grant Benavente Hospital, Concepción, Chile
*Corresponding Author: Alejandro Alvarez Jara, Pediatrician, Pediatric and Fetal Cardiologist, Pediatric Service and Fetal Examination Unit, Guillermo Grant Benavente Hospital, Concepción, Chile.

Published: May 06, 2025

DOI: 10.55162/MCMS.08.287

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Abstract  

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a congenital anomaly of unknown etiology characterized by the protrusion of abdominal organs into the thoracic cavity due to a defect in the development of the diaphragm during the early fetal stage [1-4]. Its epidemiological context is complex, with a prevalence of approximately 2.5 cases per 10,000 live births, which could be modified by variability in data collection and its hidden mortality in unborn cases due to its high mortality rate [1, 3, 4]. Its prevalence does not appear to be associated with maternal age [5], and most studies have not observed an association with sex, compared to some that report a slightly higher prevalence in males [2, 6, 7].

CDH is caused by a failure of the pleuroperitoneal duct to close between weeks 9 and 10 of gestation, which facilitates herniation of the midgut and, in some cases, the stomach, liver, or spleen. It is associated with high perinatal morbidity and mortality, primarily influenced by pulmonary hypoplasia and secondary pulmonary hypertension [2, 9].

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