What causes intrathoracic gastric dilatation in a late-presenting diaphragmatic hernia?
A 13-year-old previously asymptomatic patient presented with abdominal pain and vomiting. Chest radiogram revealed a left intrathoracic stomach. Laparotomy confirmed a dilated, hypertrophic stomach herniating through a left Bochdalek hernia. The patient recovered after a period of prolonged gastric paresis. While highlighting the importance of considering this condition in the differential diagnosis of a cystic lesion in the chest, this article also postulates a mechanism for the hypertrophic gastric dilatation in a late presentation of a congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Jones
Vinci S
VS
Department of Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. vincijones@yahoo.co.in
Cohen
Ralph C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D013271:Gastric Dilatation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography