Nontraumatic massive right-sided Bochdalek hernia in an adult:

A systematic review on diagnostics and surgical treatment of adult right-sided Bochdalek hernias and presentation of the current management pathway

Purpose

Bochdalek hernia is a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The incidence in adults is estimated around 0.17%. Right-sided hernias are much more seldom than left-sided ones because of faster closure of the right pleuroperitoneal canal and the protective effect of the liver. Due to its rarity, there have been no large prospective or retrospective studies following great need for evidence-based diagnostics and treatment strategies. In this systematic review, we evaluated the current evidence of diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up of adult right-sided Bochdalek hernias.

Methods

According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines a systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane library from 2004 to January 2021. The literature search included all studies with non-traumatic right-sided Bochdalek hernias. Literature on left- or both-sided, pregnancy-associated, pediatric, and other types of hernias were explicitly excluded. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed.

Results

Database search identified 401 records. After eligibility screening 41 studies describing 44 cases of right-sided non-traumatic Bochdalek hernias in adulthood were included for final analysis. Based upon the systematic literature review, the current diagnostic, therapeutic, and follow-up management pathway for this rare surgical emergency is presented.

Conclusion

This systematic review underlined that most studies investigating management of adult non-traumatic right-sided Bochdalek hernias are of moderate to low methodological quality. Hernias tend to occur more frequently in middle-aged and older women presenting with abdominal pain and dyspnea. A rapid and accurate diagnosis following surgical repair and regular follow-up is mandatory. High-quality studies focusing on the management of this rare entity are urgently needed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10029-021-02445-1.

Laparoscopic repair of a spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia without a previously documented history of trauma is uncommon and clinical presentation can often be atypical ranging from an incidental radiological finding to patients presenting with complications.

CASE PRESENTATION

In this video we present the case of a patient presenting with gastric perforation within a large spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia in the central part of the left hemidiaphragm.

CONCLUSIONS

Management of a complicated diaphragmatic hernia could be achieved using laparoscopic approach. The rarity of these hernias means that the operative strategy necessary for safe dissection and repair has to be individualized for each patient.

A mistaken case of tension pneumothorax

The patient was an otherwise usually fit and well 25-year-old man who presented to A&E department in extremis. The initial working diagnosis was a tension pneumothorax, and he was subsequently treated with needle thoracocentesis causing a release of air. A chest radiograph was taken, after which a chest drain was inserted. Bilious fluid was drained from the chest drain. The patient was taken for an emergency CT, which demonstrated a Bochdalek diaphragmatic hernia, with the spleen and bowel found to be causing a near total left lung collapse. He was taken to the theatre to return the bowel to the correct anatomical position, in addition to undergoing a sleeve gastrectomy, and diaphragmatic defect repair. The patient has had a complex and protracted recovery in the intensive therapy unit (ITU) with complications including wound dehiscence, gastrectomy leak requiring additional surgical repair, fluid overload and bilateral pleural empyema.

Laparoscopic repair of adult Bochdalek's hernia

Bochdalek's hernia is a type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia occurring in approximately 1 in 2200-12 500 live births. It is considered to be extremely rare in adults and poses a diagnostic challenge. We present a case of a young man who was diagnosed as a case of congenital Bochdalek's hernia and underwent laparoscopic mesh repair.