DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA

Course overview

A DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA (DH) IS A PROTRUSION OF ABDOMINAL CONTENTS INTO THE THORACIC CAVITY AS A RESULT OF A DEFECT WITHIN THE DIAPHRAGM. IT IS MOST COMMON AS A CONGENITAL PHENOMENON; HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO BE ACQUIRED. MOST COMMONLY, ACQUIRED DH OCCURS FOLLOWING BLUNT OR PENETRATING TRAUMA WHICH RESULTS IN A RUPTURE OF THE DIAPHRAGM WHICH IS THEN ACCOMPANIED BY HERNIATION OF ABDOMINAL CONTENT. ADDITIONALLY ACQUIRED DH CAN ALSO OCCUR SPONTANEOUSLY OR BY IATROGENIC CAUSES. ACQUIRED DH IS RARE BUT CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING, RESULTING IN INCARCERATION AND STRANGULATION WITH AN INCREASED MORTALITY RATE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING THIS CONDITION.