Pulmonary parenchymal abnormalities in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia results in abnormal lung development. There is a global hypoplasia with both lungs affected, the ipsilateral lung more severely. This results in a reduction in the number of bronchial divisions and a decrease in the quantity and maturity of the alveoli. The pneumocytes are dysfunctional, resulting in a total quantitative and qualitative reduction in surfactant and a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activity.