Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia occurs in 1–5/10,000 live births. It is characterized by a defect in the separation of the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity due to incomplete development of the diaphragm. It follows the herniation of abdominal viscera at the thoracic level with hypoplasia of the lung ipsilateral to the hernia. The pre- and postoperative management of the patient is very complex. Contrary to what happened in the past, surgical treatment does not necessarily have to be urgent but only under stable clinical conditions, except in special cases. The postoperative survival rate is 70–80%, up to 90% in some structures and in particular for CDH not associated with other anomalies.