INHALATION OF NITRIC-OXIDE AS A TREATMENT OF PULMONARY-HYPERTENSION IN CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC-HERNIA

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) still has a mortality risk of ar ound 40%. The concomitant pulmonary hypoplasia and the persistent pulm onary hypertension are of major prognostic importance. The use of a se lective pulmonary vasodilator may revert this vicious circle that is f atal to many children. Inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) hai been sugges ted as a rational treatment of this condition. The authors report thre e cases of high-risk infants with CDH where NO was used successfully. It is concluded that hypoxemia in CDH can be treated successfully with NO inhalation when conventional treatment fails, and it may in some c ases prove to be an alternative to ECMO. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Sa unders company