Congenital herniation through the foramen Morgagni -- clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment in pediatric population

• Published in: Central European journal of medicine 2011-02, Vol.6 (1), p.131-135
• Main Authors: Anđelka, Slavković, Zoran, Marjanović, Ivona, Đorđević, Zorica, Jovanović, Ivana, Budić
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomedicine; Case Report; Foramen Morgagni; Internal Medicine; Maternal and Child Health; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Reproductive Medicine; Retrosternal hernia; Surgery
• ISSN: 1895-1058; 2391-5463; 1644-3640; 2391-5463
• DOI: 10.2478/s11536-010-0061-2

Congenital Morgagni hernia is a rare entity, accounting for less than 1,5% of all types of congenital diaphragmatic hernias. The majority of Morgagni hernias are diagnosed late because patients can be asymptomatic or present with non-specific respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms and signs. The medical records of all patients diagnosed with CMH and treated in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed for age at diagnosis, sex, site of hernia, clinical symptoms, associated anomalies, operative findings and treatment. Over a 20-year period, 5 cases with CMH diagnoses were hospitalized and operated. The age of diagnosis ranged from nine months to 11 years. Male to female ratio was 3:2. Associated anomalies were seen in 2 patients (40%). Most patients had transabdominal operations. There were no complications in the postoperative period. Morgagni hernia is a rare condition. The rarity is due to the nonspecific presentation of symptoms, which contributes to a delay in diagnosis. We advocate surgical repair even in asymptomatic patients, because of the risk of strangulation. There is a low rate of complications.