Thoracoscopic Repair of Diaphragmatic Hernia in Infants: A New Modification of the Technique.

Purpose The objective of this study is to evaluate a novel simplified technique of thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in infants. Methods A retrospective review of the new simplified technique in 12 CDH patients admitted between March 2013 and March 2015 was performed. A needle with nonabsorbable 2-0 sutures threaded in the lumen was used to approximate edges of the hernia defect. Results A total of 12 infants with CDH underwent the repair successfully using this new technique. There were 7 boys and 5 girls with a median age of 104.7 days (range, 1 days-17 months). The mean operative time was 65 minutes (range, 35-125 minutes). No conversion or synthetic patch was required. The patients were followed up for 6 to 30 months (mean, 17.5 ± 8.5 months). There was no mortality and no recurrence. Conclusion The new modified technique of thoracoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair reduces the difficulty of intracorporal suturing under tension.