Postoperative causes of death in pediatric surgery: analysis and conclusions for the therapy.

The mortality of children with posterolateral diaphragmatic hernia (PDH) is mainly dependent upon the degree of lung hypoplasia. Other less significant factors are dysmaturity, associated anomalies, infection and haemorrhages. Children with grave cyanosis from PDH immediately after birth have a poor prognosis due to persistent foetal circulation with pulmonary vascular hypertension and right-left shunting. A better understanding and treatment of this persistent foetal circulation may considerably improve the surgical mortality, though in some cases the lung hypoplasia may be too far advanced.