Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Late Recurrence of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Walther Brochier,Julien Mahieu,Maryam Monfared Rezai

doi:10.3390/surgeries2020014

Abstract

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is often diagnosed and treated in the perinatal period. Recurrence is a known complication that may very rarely occur years after the operation. We report here the case of a patient who had an operation for a CDH at birth that then recurred in adulthood. Given the risk of complications and the symptomatology of the patient, we decided to treat the patient surgically. We successfully performed a video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) procedure during which we reduced the hernia and closed the breach. Given the recurrent nature of the hernia, we decided to reinforce the repair with a mesh.

Highlights

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a rare but severe disease, occurring in approximatively 1:2500 to 1:5000 newborn children [1]
A diaphragmatic hernia is very rarely diagnosed in adults
A 25-year-old male presented to the outpatient clinic complaining of dyspnea on exertion and left chest discomfort. This patient has a history of left congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which was diagnosed prenatally and for which he underwent surgery on his first day of life

Summary

Introduction

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a rare but severe disease, occurring in approximatively 1:2500 to 1:5000 newborn children [1]. A diaphragmatic hernia is very rarely diagnosed in adults. The etiology is a CDH that became symptomatic in adulthood sometimes triggered by pregnancy [2], or an asymptomatic CDH diagnosed incidentally as a radiographic finding. Other etiologies include a trauma-induced diaphragmatic hernia. We describe a recurrence at adulthood of a CDH repaired in infancy, a case for which the literature is very scarce

Case Description

Findings

Discussion