Enterothorax After Hepatic Surgery: A Single-Center Experience

Development of diaphragmatic hernia following hepatectomy

BACKGROUND

The majority of the diaphragmatic hernias developing on the right side are hernias developing after right hepatectomy. We aimed to present the clinical presentation at the time of admission, surgical treatment, and postoperative course of patients that developed DH following a major liver resection in our center.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Liver surgeries performed in Ataturk University Organ Transplant Center and Ataturk University Research Hospital General surgery Hepatopancreatobiliary ward between 2012 and 2021 were analysed retrospectively. Demographic information, admission types (emergency or elective), admission clinics, the process of diaphragmatic hernia formation following hepatectomy, imaging methods used for diagnosis, and surgical methods performed were recorded for the patients with diaphragmatic hernia. Qualitative values were tabulated and their percentages were calculated.

RESULTS

Six hundred and sixty patients who underwent major liver surgery in our center between 2012 and 2021 were analysed. It was found that diaphragmatic hernia developed in 9 (1.4%) of those patients. The incidence of diaphragmatic hernia after donor hepatectomy was 3.04% in our study. The mean time from the first surgery until the DH diagnosis was 47.33 ± 38.16 months. 1 (11.1%) patient had small intestine perforation and 1 patient had both small intestine and colon perforation. One patient died before to the surgery.

CONCLUSION

DH following liver resection can cause fatal complications and it should be intervened when diagnosed. Although it is rare, centers particularly focusing on hepatobiliary surgery should determine a follow-up protocol to detect DH that develops after major liver resections.

Life threatening rupture of the diaphragm after Covid 19 pneumonia: a case report

Background

The incidence of diaphragmatic rupture is low; however, it may be life threatening. Normally caused by blunt trauma, some cases are reported after pulmonary infections with extensive coughing. Covid 19 causes pulmonary infections and pneumonia and has been associated with weakening of the diaphragm after prolonged ventilation. We present a patient who suffered from diaphragmatic rupture 2 months after recovering from a severe Covid 19 pneumonia.

Case

A 71 years old male patient presented with massive thoraco-abdominal pain and severe dyspnea. At the time of admission, the patient was diagnosed with rupture of the diaphragm and developed cardiogenic shock. Intraoperatively there was a 4 cm diameter large rupture of the diaphragm with enterothorax (transverse colon, stomach, spleen, parts of the jejunum). Avulsion of the mesenteric arteries made a segmental resection of the jejunum together with the spleen necessary. A jejuno-jejunostomy was performed and organs were replaced into the abdomen. The rupture of the diaphragm underwent primary closure with non-resorbable suture material. The patient has shown an uneventful post-operative course, fully recovered and was discharged on day 11 after surgery.

Conclusion

Covid 19 is a disease that is known to have various effects on different organs. The diaphragm is only paid heed in case of dysfunction. Also in the setting of Covid 19 it is not known as prominent effector organ. Nevertheless its affection by coughing caused by Covid 19 can lead to life threatening complications.

Surgical management of delayed-presentation diaphragm hernia: A single-institution experience

Objectives

Delayed-presentation diaphragm hernias are uncommon, and surgical management varies widely across practices. We describe our surgical experience with delayed-presentation diaphragm hernias as a case series of 14 patients, 9 of whom underwent minimally invasive repair.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of our prospective database of all patients treated surgically for delayed-presentation diaphragm hernia at our institution from January 1, 2005, to April 30, 2021. We excluded patients with poststernotomy, post–left ventricular assist device, and previously diagnosed congenital hernias. We recorded patient demographics, etiology, laterality, chronicity, operative details, postoperative complications, and long-term results.

Results

We performed surgical repair of delayed-presentation diaphragm hernia in 14 patients. Eleven patients (79%) were male, the median age was 61 (18-83) years, the median body mass index was 29.2 (14.5-33.7), and 8 (57%) hernias were left-sided. Etiology was trauma (n = 7, 50%), iatrogenic (n = 5, 36%), and unknown (n = 2, 14%). Median time to presentation in patients with traumatic and iatrogenic hernias was 7.5 years (6 weeks to 38 years). Nine patients (64%) underwent minimally invasive repair, and 5 patients (36%) underwent open repair. We used a synthetic patch in all but 2 patients (86%). Median length of stay was 5 (3-27) days. Two patients (14%) had major complications. There were no deaths. Twelve patients (86%) had follow-up imaging at a median follow-up of 17 months (1-192) with zero recurrences.

Conclusions

Our experience suggests that a minimally invasive or an open approach to patients with a delayed-presentation diaphragm hernia is safe and effective. We recommend tailoring the surgical approach based on patient characteristics, anatomic considerations, and surgeons’ experience.

Acquired diaphragmatic hernia after hepatectomy and liver transplantation in adults and children: A case series and literature review

Backgrounds/Aims

Acquired diaphragmatic hernia is a rare complication following liver surgery in adult and pediatric patients. This study aims to describe main features occurring in adult and pediatric patients after liver surgery and report an up-date review of the literature.

Methods

All adult and pediatric patients who were diagnosed with postoperative acquired diaphragmatic hernia in Lyon and Marseille University Hospitals were included in this study. Diagnosis, clinical, radiologic, and therapeutic data were analysed retrospectively from medical papers and/or electronic records.

Results

Thirteen adults with a median age of 50 years (range, 30–67 years) and 5 children aged 2.4 years (range, 0.9–4 years) were diagnosed with acquired diaphragmatic hernia after a median time of 65.1 (range, 1.8–244.7) and 2 (range, 0.33–10.9) months, respectively, following surgeries (5 live-donor right hepatectomies, 5 right and 1 left hepatectomies for tumors and cysts, and 2 whole liver transplantations in adults; and 5 liver transplantations with left lateral section in children). Eleven patients presented digestive and/or thoracic symptoms whereas seven were asymptomatic and diagnosed by routine imaging follow-up. All patients were re-operated with a median delay of 2.4 months (range, 0–25.3 months) for adults and 1 day (range, 0–2 days) for children. Two recurrences resulted in a secondary surgical repair.

Conclusions

Acquired diaphragmatic hernia is a rare and potentially serious event after liver surgery. Recognition and surgical repair of this particular complication should be considered in the setting of unexplained abdominal and/or thoracic symptoms. Preventive measures should be taken intraoperatively.

Incarcerated diaphragmatic hernia after right hepatectomy: an autopsy case with a review of 45 previous cases

An iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernia after major hepatic resection is a rare complication. Incarceration of the abdominal organ through a diaphragmatic defect can have a fatal prognosis. Here, we report a case of incarcerated diaphragmatic hernia after right hepatectomy, which was diagnosed only after the autopsy. The deceased, who had right hepatectomy 1 year previously, complained of severe chest pain, and 4 days later was found dead. Localized decomposition in his chest and abdomen suggested a late complication of the surgery because the location was consistent with the prior surgical area. In the autopsy, there was a small defect in his right diaphragm, resulting in the herniation and incarceration of the small intestine. Gross and microscopic findings of the herniated small intestine were consistent with ischemic enteritis. Different from our case, most of the previously reported cases showed a good prognosis after surgical repair, except one lethal one. Even though its overall incidence is very low, an incarcerated diaphragmatic hernia is one of the critical complications of major hepatic resection. The clinicians should warn the patients to avoid preventable morbidity and mortality. Reviewing this fatal complication would be also helpful for forensic pathologists and death investigators.

Incidence, Diagnosis and Repair of a Diaphragmatic Hernia Following Hepatic Surgery: A Single Center Analysis of 3107 Consecutive Liver Resections

Diaphragmatic hernia (DH) after a liver resection (LR) is an uncommon but potentially severe complication. In this retrospective study, we aim to share our experience with DH in our hepatic surgery center. We retrospectively analyzed 3107 patients who underwent a liver resection between January 2012 and September 2019. The diagnosis of DH was based on clinical examination and radiological imaging and confirmed by intraoperative findings during surgical repair. Five out of 3107 (0.16%) patients after LR developed DH. Especially, all five DH patients had a major right-sided LR before (n = 716, 0.7%). The mean time interval between initial LR and occurrence of DH was 30 months (range 15 to 44 months). DH exclusively occurred after a right or extended right hepatectomy. Two patients underwent emergency surgery, three were asymptomatic, and DH was diagnosed in follow-up imaging. Three of these five treated patients (60%) developed DH recurrence: two of three (67%) patients after suture repair alone and the only patient after suture repair in combination with an absorbable mesh. The patient who was treated with a composite mesh implant did not show any signs of DH recurrence after 52 months of follow-up. In patients who develop DH after liver surgery, a mesh augmentation with nonresorbable material is generally recommended. In order to diagnose these patients in an early state, we recommend that special attention be paid and a prompt and targeted diagnostic examination of patients with abdominal complaints after right-sided liver resections take place.