title: Morgagni hernia in adults: results in 7 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Morgagni's hernia is a relatively uncommon diaphragmatic hernia with a potential for considerable morbidity, if the diagnosis is delayed or missed. This review of cases of Morgagni's hernia was undertaken in order to emphasize methods of diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1992 through 2002, seven patients with Morgagni's hernia (5 right, 2 left) were surgically treated at our hospital. We investigated the patients preoperatively including chest roentgenogram, chest CT scan, and contrast studies of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Operative repair was accomplished with the transabdominal or transthoracic approach. Basic spirometric tests had been carried out on patients presented for elective surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients experienced dyspnea and two patients presented with acute abdomen due to peritonitis. Diagnosis for Morgagni's hernia was made preoperatively in all but one patient. In cases with uncertain diagnosis or peritonitis, a transabdominal approach was preferred. One patient had died of septic multi-organ failure in the early postoperative course. Following elective repair of Morgagni's hernia, improvement in basic spirometric values was seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that repair for Morgagni's hernia can be performed safely and effectively by using different surgical approaches. The risk of progression and incarceration makes clinical awareness, early diagnosis, and surgical treatment warranted. Improvement in lung function can be expected postoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. joachim.pfannschmidt@thoraxklinik-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfannschmidt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dienemann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome