Fetal imaging and therapy for CDH-Current status

In congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), herniation of the abdominal organs into the fetal chest causes pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension, the main causes of neonatal mortality. As antenatal ultrasound screening improves, the risk of postnatal death can now be better predicted, allowing for the identification of fetuses that might most benefit from a prenatal intervention. Fetoscopic tracheal occlusion is being evaluated in a large international randomized controlled trial. We present the antenatal imaging approaches that can help identify fetuses that might benefit from antenatal therapy, and review the evolution of fetal surgery for CDH to date.