Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a developmental disorder in which the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, does not close during prenatal development, allowing abdominal organs to herniate into the chest cavity. It occurs mainly on the left side (80%-85% of cases). CDH is often identified during prenatal assessment. However, instances of late-presenting CDH beyond infancy are exceedingly uncommon, contributing to frequent misdiagnosis and delayed therapeutic intervention. We present a case of a 10-month-old female with an uneventful antenatal and perinatal history who presented with respiratory distress and multiple episodes of vomiting. Her vital signs were stable upon arrival, but she was sent to the PICU due to hypoactivity, reduced oral intake, and agitation. After an urgent CT scan, a herniation of the small and large bowel loops into the right hemithorax was discovered, along with a defect in the right hemidiaphragm. This resulted in a pleural effusion on the right side, a partially collapsed left lung, and a mediastinal shift to the left. The diaphragmatic hernia was corrected through a lateral thoracotomy at the sixth rib with multiple interrupted sutures, and a chest tube was then inserted into the pleural space above the diaphragm following a smooth reduction of the bowl. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis, appropriate clinical investigation, and treatment. A good prognosis can be anticipated by promptly discovering and examining the condition.

Right sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) associated with hepatopulmonary fusion (HPF) is a rare congenital anomaly in which the herniated liver is fused with lung parenchyma. We discuss the case of an infant with right-sided CDH and HPF found on index operation for repair of right-sided CDH. Due to the high incidence of vascular anomalies associated with HPF the decision was made to close the patient and get further imaging to characterize the HPF before returning to the operating room for definitive repair. We describe a novel and successful operative approach where the liver was left entirely fused to the lung and the liver was partially brought down from the chest and was plicated to the diaphragm form a seal between the parietal and pleural cavities to repair the CDH.

UNASSIGNED: Congenital pulmonary sequestration is a rare lung anomaly that can be classified as intralobar pulmonary sequestration or extralobar lung sequestration (ELS). Infradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration is a rare type of ELS. Furthermore, intrathoracic kidney (ITK) is a rare disease that can be associated with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CHD) in 0.25% of cases. We report the first case of infradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration and ITK associated with CDH in a child.
UNASSIGNED: The patient, male, aged 6 months, visited our hospital 2 months prior due to shortness of breath. Based on chest ultrasonography and enhanced computed tomography (CT) examination, infradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration and ITK were considered to be associated with CDH. The patient was admitted to our hospital for treatment. After admission, his blood pressure was 85/61 mmHg, there was no hematuria or proteinuria, creatinine was 14 µmol/L, and urea nitrogen was 2.96 mmol/L, all of which showed no abnormalities. A complete preoperative examination was performed prior to surgical treatment. Thoracoscopy revealed that the right kidney had herniated into the chest cavity on the posterolateral side of the diaphragm. The right kidney was returned to the abdominal cavity, the hernia sac was opened, and a bright red lesion tissue with clear boundaries and an abnormal blood vessel supply was observed. After cutting off the abnormal blood vessels, LigaSure TM was used to remove the diseased tissue, and the renal fat sacs and renal tissue were visible. Intermittent suturing of the hernia ring was performed to seal the diaphragmatic hernia. Postoperative pathological examination revealed infradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration. The postoperative recovery of the patient was smooth, and a chest CT scan at 2 months showed that the right kidney had returned to the abdominal cavity and the right diaphragm was in the normal position.
UNASSIGNED: Infradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration and ITK associated with CDH is extremely rare. A diagnosis and appropriate surgical planning can be developed using enhanced CT. For infradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration located at the top of the hernia sac in CHD, thoracoscopic resection of the infradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration and repair of the diaphragmatic hernia is feasible and effective.

A congenital defect in the diaphragm, known as a Bochdalek hernia (BH), is a condition that allows herniation of the abdominal viscera into the thorax. BH is the most common type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and is typically detected on the left side. An ectopic kidney is a rare condition. An intra-thoracic ectopic kidney is an extremely uncommon condition. In adult patients, the presence of BH with an intra-thoracic kidney is extremely uncommon and is often a finding discovered unintentionally. A 51-year-old male patient presented to the outpatient unit of the pulmonology department. He stated that he had been suffering symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulties for one year. A chest X-ray showed a well-defined radio-opaque lesion in the lower left zone. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest demonstrated a defect in the posterolateral region of the left hemidiaphragm, as well as herniation of the left kidney and retroperitoneal fat in the left hemithorax. The intra-thoracic ectopic kidney was found to be normal in size and showed normal attenuation and enhancement, with the contrast being promptly excreted into the pelvicalyceal system during CT urography. Due to the hernia\'s small size and lack of abnormalities on CT urography, the patient was recommended a conservative treatment. A follow-up examination was performed on the patient annually. Throughout the follow-up period, there was not a single episode of kidney-related issues. To avoid unwanted image-guided biopsies and surgical procedures, it is imperative to look for intra-thoracic kidneys in patients presenting with a thoracic mass or an elevated hemi-diaphragm.

OBJECTIVE: Vasopressin has systemic vasoconstrictive yet pulmonary vasodilatory effects, making it an ideal agent for hypotension management in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)-associated pulmonary hypertension. The side effects of vasopressin in this population, such as hyponatremia, are understudied. This study aims to characterize the effect of vasopressin on sodium concentrations in infants with and without CDH.
METHODS: This was a retrospective review of patients who received vasopressin while admitted to a level IV neonatal intensive care unit. The primary outcome was the incidence of hyponatremia (blood sodium <135 mmol/L) during vasopressin therapy. Secondary outcomes included time to hyponatremia, dose and duration of vasopressin, incidence of severe hyponatremia (blood sodium <125 mmol/L), and hypertonic saline use. Both blood serum and blood gas sample sodium concentrations were used to compare CDH vs non-CDH patients.
RESULTS: The average difference between baseline and lowest blood sodium was significant for both CDH and non-CDH patients for all samples (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the primary outcome, nor in the secondary outcomes of time to hyponatremia or duration of vasopressin infusion. The average dose of vasopressin was higher in the CDH vs non-CDH group (p = 0.018). The incidences of severe hyponatremia and hypertonic saline use were greater in the CDH vs non-CDH group for patients who had blood serum sodium samples collected (p = 0.049 and p = 0.033, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that severe hyponatremia occurred more frequently in CDH vs non-CDH patients. Extreme caution is necessary when managing total body sodium in patients with CDH.

Diaphragmatic hernia is a congenital malformation, often discovered in the neonatal period, and its occurrence in adults is very rare. This patient, who was completely asymptomatic until the age of 62, had developed an intestinal obstruction and went into respiratory failure after surgery for an external auditory canal carcinoma. He was subsequently diagnosed with a late-presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), thus requiring surgical treatment. Anesthesiologists and critical care physicians should keep in mind the possibility of CDH as well as diaphragmatic relaxation when an unexplained elevation of the diaphragm is observed perioperatively.

Morgagni hernia (MH), also known as a retrosternal or parasternal hernia, is a rare type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) characterized by a defect in the anterior diaphragm. Patients with late-diagnosed MH typically present with vague gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms. In some instances, MH is incidentally identified through chest X-rays performed for other reasons, such as foreign body ingestion, as illustrated in our presented case. We present a case of a delayed congenital diaphragmatic hernia of the Morgagni type in a two-year-old boy with a history of foreign body ingestion and severe abdominal pain. Diagnostic imaging, including chest radiograph and computed tomography (CT) scan, confirmed the diaphragmatic defect. Surgical repair, performed laparoscopically, resulted in an uncomplicated postoperative course and a favorable long-term outcome.

BACKGROUND: Some congenital diaphragmatic hernias are diagnosed beyond 1 month. A late-presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernia shows a variety of clinical manifestations, and the preoperative clinical course is variable. We herein report a pediatric case of late-presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernia diagnosed as acute abdomen.
METHODS: A 5-year-old boy was brought to our hospital because of herniation of the intestine into the left thoracic cavity, which was observed on radiography performed for abdominal pain. Enhanced computed tomography showed herniation of the small intestine and colon into the left thoracic cavity. Emergency laparoscopic surgery was performed based on the diagnosis of left diaphragmatic hernia. The entire small intestine and part of the colon herniated from the posterolateral defect of the diaphragm. We were able to retract the herniated intestine back into the abdomen but confirmed that the diaphragmatic defect and closure of the defect seemed to be technically challenging via laparoscopy; therefore, we converted the procedure to open laparotomy. The diaphragmatic defect was directly closed with interrupted sutures, and the thoracic cavity was degassed. Postoperatively, the left lung was found to be poorly expanded, but pulmonary hypoplasia was not evident in this case.
CONCLUSIONS: We herein report a pediatric case of late-presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernia diagnosed as abdominal pain. Late-presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernias present with a wide variety of symptoms; therefore, it is important to be reminded of these conditions and check chest radiographs in children presenting with acute or chronic respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms of unknown etiology.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown a higher recurrence rate and longer operative times for thoracoscopic repair (TR) of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) compared to open repair (OR). An updated meta-analysis was conducted to re-evaluate the surgical outcomes of TR.
METHODS: A comprehensive literature search comparing TR and OR in neonates was performed in accordance with the PRISMA statement (PROSPERO: CRD42020166588).
RESULTS: Fourteen studies were selected for quantitative analysis, including a total of 709 patients (TR: 308 cases, OR: 401 cases). The recurrence rate was higher [Odds ratio: 4.03, 95% CI (2.21, 7.36), p < 0.001] and operative times (minutes) were longer [Mean Difference (MD): 43.96, 95% CI (24.70, 63.22), p < 0.001] for TR compared to OR. A significant reduction in the occurrence of postoperative bowel obstruction was observed in TR (5.0%) compared to OR (14.8%) [Odds ratio: 0.42, 95% CI (0.20, 0.89), p = 0.02].
CONCLUSIONS: TR remains associated with higher recurrence rates and longer operative times. However, the reduced risk of postoperative bowel obstruction suggests potential long-term benefits. This study emphasizes the importance of meticulous patient selection for TR to mitigate detrimental effects on patients with severe disease.

UNASSIGNED: Introduction: Bochdalek\'s hernia (BH) is a congenital diaphragmatic hernia predominantly diagnosed in the pediatric population but infrequently found in adults. This paper presents a unique case of an adult patient with a left-sided BH accompanied by gastric volvulus and an intrathoracic kidney.
UNASSIGNED: A 21-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and vomiting. An MDCT scan revealed a twisted stomach, spleen, and kidney herniated into the chest due to left diaphragmatic eventration. Surgery involved untwisting the stomach, relocating the organs, and removing the hernia sac.
CONCLUSIONS: Bochdalek hernias (BHs) are rare conditions in which abdominal organs move into the chest due to defects in the diaphragm. BH usually occurs on the left side and can be triggered by factors such as pregnancy, obesity, or trauma. Symptoms can vary from abdominal pain to chest discomfort, and diagnosis can be challenging. Imaging tests such as CT scans are essential for accurate diagnosis. In adults, the BH can contain various organs, such as the spleen and kidney. Rarely, BH can be associated with an ectopic kidney located inside the chest cavity. In some cases of BH, there is a risk of complications such as gastric volvulus, where the stomach twists on itself, leading to potentially serious symptoms such as severe abdominal pain and vomiting.
CONCLUSIONS: This case underscores the severe risks of BH in adults, such as gastric twisting and blockage, necessitating urgent surgery. Timely diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for preventing life-threatening outcomes. More research is needed to improve the management of this rare condition.