When primary repair is not enough: a comparison of synthetic patch and muscle flap closure in congenital diaphragmatic hernia?

This retrospective study compares outcomes of synthetic patch versus autologous muscle flap repair for large congenital diaphragmatic hernias requiring more than primary closure. With 5-year median follow-up, both techniques showed similarly low reherniation rates (8.8% patch vs 3.5% flap, p=0.295), supporting either approach as durable for complex CDH repair.