Reasons A CDH Survivor Returns to the Hospital
After repair surgery (in which muscle flap or a synthetic patch is used to cover the hole in the diaphragm), patients with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia have to also learn to feed and wean off of life support. After discharge, the journey isn't over. In fact, many survivors face life-long issues that keep them returning to the hospital over and over. A few of the top reasons are:
1. Pulmonary Hypertension (high blood pressure that affects your arteries and lungs) - which every CDH patient has this at some point, but some end up having this for their entirely lives
2. Catching the Flu or Pneumonia - with weak respiratory systems and many CDH patients having only a tiny bit of their lung grown, catching the Flu or Pneumonia can hospitalize these survivors long after they've been discharged from the NICU
3. Bowel Obstruction (a blockage in the small or large intestine) - this is common among CDH patients who have had repair surgery in which their intestines were moved from their chest back into the correct place. This can be fatal for survivors of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
4. Continuing Feeding Issues - many survivors end up with acid reflux and Failure to Thrive that can be devastating to their bodies
5. Heart Problems - Survivors may have had their heart pushed over at birth by organs moving into the chest cavity through the hole in their diaphragm. It is fairly common for survivors to have Ventricle Septal Defect or a separate heart defect that comes with it's own range of issues resulting in hospitalization
Survivors are in and out of emergency rooms and children's hospitals throughout their entire lifetime because of CDH related issues. These families can truly use help with the ongoing medical expenses associated with continuous hospital visits. Please consider helping through this link. All donations are tax deductible through IRS code 501(c)(3):
https://www.cdhstarsandangels.org/donate
