Table 1

Death rates in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Period

Boston

Survival

Toronto

Survival

P

1981–1984

Immediate repair without ECMO

45%

Immediate repair

53%

NS

1984–1987

Immediate repair with postoperative ECMO

53%

Delayed repair

52%

NS

1987–1991

Delayed repair, preoperative ECMO

44%

Delayed repair

52%

NS

1991–1994

Delayed repair, permissive hypercapnia

69%

Delayed repair, permissive hypercapnea

61%

NS

P = 0.007

P = NS

Shown are mortality rates for infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) at Children's Hospital, Boston (n = 285) and The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto (n = 223) during four eras of CDH management strategy. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was rarely used for CDH at Toronto. P values were determined by student's t test; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. NS, not significant. Adapted from Azarow and coworkers [47].

Vitali and Arnold Critical Care 2005 9:177   doi:10.1186/cc2987