Lung Volume, Pulmonary Vasculature, and Factors Affecting Survival in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Abstract

A minimum lung volume of 45% of the value predicted from age-matched controls is required for survival in ECMO-treated infants. The RVSP/systolic systemic blood pressure ratio can be reduced with ECMO to < 0.5 in the majority of infants, even with lung volumes inadequate for survival. We speculate that 9% of infants with adequate lung volume were potentially survivable, but died of medical and surgical complications.