Intrathoracic silo for the potential antenatal repair of diaphragmatic herniae with liver in the chest.

Antenatal correction of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in the human fetus is an attractive theoretical possibility that might reverse pulmonary hypoplasia before it becomes too severe for post-natal survival. Initial attempts at correcting these herniae in the human fetus have been beset with many technical problems, one of which has been to prevent acute obstruction to the ductus venosus when the left lobe of the liver is reduced back into the abdomen. We describe a new procedure intended to reduce the liver gradually so that the ductus venosus is never acutely kinked and more normal rib cage mechanics may be maintained.