Regional lung function in congenital diaphragmatic hernia assessed using electrical impedance tomography

Respiratory support of infants born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is challenging due to an inability to determine the magnitude of ventilation disunity resulting from unilateral pulmonary hypoplasia. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) could describe the aeration and ventilation characteristics of the ipsi- and contra-lateral lungs throughout the NICU course in 15 infants with left-sided CDH. Ventilation, but not aeration, in the ipsilateral lung increased from the pre-repair state by discharge. This suggests EIT could be used to define lung function changes with time in CDH, providing a detailed understanding of each lung, which that may assist in refining care.