Use of the postductal PaO2 as a predictor of pulmonary vascular hypoplasia in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) demonstrate a wide range of anatomic and physiologic abnormalities that result in decreased pulmonary perfusion. We have used the patients' ability to achieve at least one postductal PaO2 greater than 100 torr while on maximal ventilation with 100% oxygen during the first 24 hours of life as the clinical marker to identify the degree of pulmonary perfusion. Patients were grouped as follows: group 1 had at least one postductal PaO2 greater than 100 torr, and group 2 patients never had a postductal PaO2 above 100 torr. To see if this classification did reflect pulmonary vascular abnormalities, we compared the pulmonary arteriograms of these two groups of CDH infants for size of the main pulmonary arteries (PAs), size of the lungs, and degree of peripheral vascular obstructive disease (PVO). Infants in group 2 had significantly smaller ipsilateral and contralateral main PAs, as well as smaller ipsilateral lungs with more severe PVO. We propose the postductal PaO2 as the clinical marker for identification of the degree of pulmonary perfusion.