RECONSTRUCTION OF THE TODDLER DIAPHRAGM IN SEVERE ANTEROLATERAL CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC-HERNIA WITH THE REVERSE LATISSIMUS-DORSI FLAP

The management of infants with severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) continues to evolve, When a prosthetic patch is placed in the ne onatal period for pleuroperitoneal separation, it ultimately will requ ire a subsequent reconstruction for progressive pulmonary or abdominal symptomatology, The reverse latissimus dorsi (RLD) flap has been used for reconstruction in only several reports in the last 12 years, In t his paper, a patient with severe anterolateral CDH is reconstructed wi th the RLD flap on an elective basis at 2 years of age, Elective repai r was performed for the particular indication of chest wall restrictio n imposed by the nonpliable Gore-Tex patch, In this case, use of the R LD flap alone without the use of synthetic mesh has resulted in satisf actory results with 17 months of follow up.