HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

What Causes Pulmonary Hypertension In Baby With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia?

Posted on Mon, 9 Mar 2015

Question: pls explain me pulmonary hypertention in babys with congenital diafragmatic hernia. also where can i look up to understand it better?

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Pulmonary hypertension is due to increased arterioles resistance

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Welcome to Healthcaremagic
Greetings of the day

Dear Sir

Pulmonary hypertension in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia is multifactorial in origin. Following are causative factors

1. Associated Pulmonary Hypoplasia

2. Decreased cross sectional area of arterioles of Lung causing increased resistance to blood flow leading to fixed pulmonary Hypertension

3. Increased muscularization of arterioles causing fixed resistance

4. Associated Hypoxia, acidosis causes constriction of blood vessels increasing resistance

5. Decreased Nitric oxide levels

For further details you can refer to following

1. Pediatric Surgery 6th Edition /7 th edition by XXXXXXX Coran

2. Aschcraft Pediatric Surgery

Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.

Take care

Best regards
Dr Deepak Kaltari
Consultant Pediatric Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (3 days later)

thanks for your detailed answer. my problem is that i never learnd medical school... im just a worried father & wish to have a site where to look up to understand pulmonary hypertension (specifically in kids with cdh, since there are so many tipes of ph) in a simple explaination. not in a doctors language. pls dont bother to tell me if you didnt find one... & if possible explain me the sub total of your answer you gave me. thanks again i really apprecyate it.

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pulmonary hypertension occurs due to stiffness of blood vessels

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir,

Let me explain you in common terms. CDH or Congenital Diaphragmatic hernia occurs due to defect in Diaphragm( Muscular layer separating the contents of chest from abdominal cavity). This causes the abdominal contents to be present in the chest cavity. As the developing lungare also present there, the lungs underdevelop due to presence of intestine,stomach and spleen in chest cavity. The underdeveloped lung also has defective development of blood vessels causing them to be unduly stiff. It is this stiffness in blood vessels which is the main cause for Pulmonary Hypertension.

Being a Pediatric Surgeon, routinely counsel the parents about the prognosis based on Pulomonary hypertension . Many parents have many questions , being a parent myself I understand the concern and apprehensions. As your child has no Pulmonary Hypertension , I would suggest you to stop worrying about him. Regular assessment with Pediatric Surgeon is all that is required. Flooding yourself with more information will evoke unnecessary concern and doubts.

If you still want more information you can refer the following site

1.emedicine.com
2. medscape
3. XXXXXXX Journal of Association of Pediatric Surgeons
4. http://breathofhopeinc.com/about-congenital-diaphragmatic-hernia/pulmonary-hypertension
5. sciencedirect.com
6. International Journal of Pediatric Surgery
7. European Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Do get back to me if you need any further assistance.

Take Care

Regards
Deepak

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar