Prague doctors save twins born with rare congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Specialists at the Institute for Mother and Child (ÚPMD) in Podolí, Prague, successfully treated twin boys born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The condition, which occurs in approximately one in 4,000 births, involves a defect in the diaphragm that allows abdominal organs to move into the chest cavity, hindering lung development.

The condition was diagnosed during a routine prenatal checkup at the 20th week of pregnancy. Due to the diagnosis, doctors planned a cesarean section. Following birth, both infants faced critical respiratory issues and circulatory failure during their first three days of life, requiring artificial sleep and mechanical ventilation.

Medical teams stabilized the boys using heart and circulatory support medications. During surgery, one child’s hernia was repaired through traditional means, while the other required a specialized Gore-Tex patch. After six weeks of intensive care, both twins and their mother were discharged and have returned home to Slovakia.