VENTILATION PARAMETERS AND ARTERIAL BLOOD-GASES AS A PREDICTION OF HYPOPLASIA IN CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC-HERNIA

Attempts to predict the degree of pulmonary hypoplasia associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia have been made by evaluating the ventilation parameters and the arterial blood gasses of these patients. A CO2 index as a predictor of outcome, which correlates the PaCO2 with the ventilation index, was recently proposed. However, in this study the postductal PaO2 was a better predictor of survival. And the so-called "honeymoon period" was a better indicator of the efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) than the CO2 index. Nineteen patients were evaluated; 11 were treated with ECMO, and eight were not considered suitable for ECMO. © 1990.