Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair at the Bedside or Operating Theater.

Background: For critically ill congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients on high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and/or inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), operative repair in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has been proposed to avoid complications during transport to an operating room (OR). This study compared neonates with CDH who received herniorrhaphy in the NICU or OR, with a subgroup analysis considering only patients supported with ECMO.

Methods: Patients admitted to the NICU in the first 2 weeks of life at a free-standing children's hospital between July 2004 and September 2021 were examined.