A neonatal male born at 37 weeks’ gestation via spontaneous vaginal delivery develops severe respiratory distress and cyanosis. Physical examination shows reduced breath sounds on the left side and heart sounds auscultated most loudly on the right. A chest X-ray shows bowel loops in the left hemithorax and mediastinal shift to the right. There are absent bowel sounds in the abdomen.
A nasogastric tube is inserted and is observed in the left hemithorax on repeat CXR.
Which of the following is the most likely explanation for these findings?
Congenital malrotation
Dynein arm defect
Failure of fusion of pleuroperitoneal membranes
Failure of pulmonary vasodilation
Potter sequence
