Surgeon level variation in outcome of repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia with particular reference to the management of recurrence

This 22-year retrospective study of 198 CDH repairs found recurrence rates of 32% for revision surgery versus 11% for primary repairs. Patch use and thoracoscopic approach increased primary failure risk, while surgeon experience significantly impacted recurrence repair outcomes, suggesting complex revisions should be restricted to high-volume surgeons.