Epidemiologic profile and pre and post-natal care assessment in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

a descriptive study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiological aspects and the pre and post-natal care of patients treated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in a tertiary hospital in the northeast of Brazil. METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed with the analysis of the medical records of patients diagnosed with CDH and treated between January 2008 to December 2017. We studied the aspects related to prenatal, to postpartum and to the postnatal periods, observing survival rates, characteristics of the hernia and the treatment of the disease. The study was developed upon the completion of forms according to the data collected from the medical records of these patients and their mothers. RESULTS: The study analyzed 54 patients: 64.8% were diagnosed before birth. 38% showed the defect on the left side of diaphragm and 50% of the patients had intrathoracic liver. 63% of the patients had surgery to repair the defect. 53.7% of the children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia died. CONCLUSION: Due to the high mortality rate especially in those patients who had other abnormalities besides the CDH, it is necessary to investigate these malformations during the prenatal care and postnatal period.