P-OGC90 Hiatus Hernia post oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer: incidence & outcomes

Background The development of a hiatus hernia following oesophagectomy is a well-documented occurrence. The aim of this study is to examine the incidence of hiatus hernia formation, the symptoms patient present with and differences between open and laparoscopic/minimally invasive surgery. Methods A dataset containing data on all patients from an upper GI regional tertiary referral centre were analysed. All subsequent patients who underwent oesophagectomy between Nov 2014 and Nov 2020 were included. Results A total of 268 patients underwent oesophagectomy over this time, of whom 81.0% (n = 217/268) were male and the median age was 68 years old (62-73 years). The median BMI at the time of operation was 27.6Kg/m2 (IQR 24.6-30.7Kg/m2). Over a median follow up of 12 months (IQR 5-21), 4.5% (n = 12/268) developed a hiatus hernia. Amongst these 12, the most common organ in the hernia was the transverse colon (66.7%, n = 8/12) and the small bowel (n = 3). The most reported symptoms in those with a hiatus hernia were respiratory symptoms (cough/breathlessness: n = 5), reflux (n = 3), vomiting (n = 3) and chest pain (n = 3). There was no correlation between BMI and the occurrence of a hiatus hernia (p = 0.145) nor were there differences across males and females in terms of hiatus hernia rates (p = 0.845). In patients who had prophylactic repair of the diaphragm (n = 126/268, 47.0%) the rate of hernia repair was no different (4.8%) compared with those who did not have a prophylactic diaphragmatic repair with sutures (4.2%, p = 0.832). There was however a correlation between the volume of intraoperative blood loss and the occurrence of a hiatus hernia, with increasing blood loss correlating with a higher likelihood of hernia occurrence (r = 0.295, p = 0.037). Conclusions Hiatus hernia is a relatively common occurrence after oesophageal cancer surgery, with most patients suffering from chest symptoms, pain, and reflux. Intra-operative blood loss may influence the chances of developing a hiatus hernia. Prophylactic measures such as reinforcing the diaphragm or hiatus with sutures, do not appear to affect hernia rates.

Acute Intestinal Necrosis due to Diaphragmatic Hernia after Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background: Radiofrequency ablation is widely used as an effective and minimally invasive treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The complications of radiofrequency ablation are mainly associated with needle damage or local thermal damage, while the reports of long-term complications of radiofrequency ablation are relatively rare.Case Report: This report presents a case of hepatocellular carcinoma with diaphragmatic hernia after radiofrequency ablation. A 60-year-old male came to the hospital with sudden abdominal pain for one day, who had received radiofrequency ablation and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma located in segment 8 as an initial treatment 52 months ago. Computed tomography showed the right diaphragmatic hernia, small intestine intruding into the chest with intestinal obstruction. The patient underwent an emergency diaphragmatic repair with bowel resection and was successfully discharged 1 week after the operation.Conclusion: Diaphragmatic hernia is a long-term complication of radiofrequency ablation. Surgical treatment is recommended as the first choice when conditions permitted.

Surgical Approach in Management of Posttraumatic Diaphragmatic Hernia: Thoracotomy versus Laparotomy

Breach in diaphragmatic musculature permits abdominal viscera to herniate into the thoracic cavity. Time of presentation and associated injuries determines the surgical approach in management. This case report sets to highlight the challenges in clinical diagnosis, radiological interpretation, and surgical management approaches of posttraumatic diaphragmatic hernia. We report a case of a 43 years old male who was diagnosed with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia 6 months post blunt thoracoabdominal trauma due to motor traffic accident. He was initially diagnosed with haemothorax, drained with an underwater thoracostomy tube, and discharged. He continued to experience on and off chest pain worsening postfeeding, difficulty in breathing and abdominal pain for the next six months until his eventual diaphragmatic hernia diagnosis. He was scheduled for an elective thoracotomy. A left posterolateral thoracic over the 7th intercostal space incision was used. Intraoperatively, the stomach, left lobe of liver, part of transverse colon, small bowel, and omentum had herniated into the thoracic cavity adhering into thoracic viscera and wall. Adhesiolysis was done, and abdominal organs reduced into abdominal cavity. Rent was closed by interrupted Prolene sutures reinforced with a mesh. In patients with delayed presentation of diaphragmatic hernia post blunt thoracoabdominal injury without associated intra-abdominal visceral injury, we recommend the thoracic diaphragmatic repair approach as long-standing herniated bowels might adhere with thoracic cavity walls or viscera. In such cases, adhesiolysis and rent repair is easier through thoracotomy.

Sequential Minimally Invasive Fetal Interventions for Two Life-Threatening Conditions: A Novel Approach

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> In utero interventions are performed in fetuses with “isolated” major congenital anomalies to improve neonatal outcomes and quality of life. Sequential in utero interventions to treat 2 anomalies in 1 fetus have not yet been described. <b><i>Case Presentation:</i></b> Here, we report a fetus with a large left-sided intralobar bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS) causing mediastinal shift, a small extralobar BPS, and concomitant severe left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). At 26-week gestation, the BPS was noted to be increasing in size with a significant reduction in right lung volume and progression to fetal hydrops. The fetus underwent ultrasound-guided ablation of the BPS feeding vessel leading to complete tumor regression. However, lung development remained poor (O/E-LHR: 0.22) due to the left-sided CDH, prompting fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion therapy at 28-week gestation to allow increased lung growth. After vaginal delivery, the newborn underwent diaphragmatic repair with resection of the extralobar sequestration. He was discharged home with tracheostomy on room air at 9 months. <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> Sequential in utero interventions to treat 2 severe major anomalies in the same fetus have not been previously described. This approach may be a useful alternative in select cases with otherwise high morbidity/mortality. Further studies are required to confirm our hypothesis.

Repair of a recurrent symptomatic hernia through the foramen of Morgagni: a case study and review of the literature

The prevalence and natural history in adults of Morgagni hernias have been relatively poorly characterized. A case is presented of a 31-year-old man where the hernia recurred following a laparoscopic mesh repair. In the era of minimally invasive surgery, debate concerns whether the peritoneal sac should be excised and if the insertion of mesh is superior to primary diaphragmatic repair.

Late traumatic diaphragmatic rupture complicated by haemothorax and strangulation of the stomach: A case report

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) is an uncommon but life-threatening condition often caused by blunt or penetrating trauma. Symptoms may appear late resulting in delayed or missed diagnosis. We report here a case of a 28-year-old man who presented with left subcostal pain and vomiting after recently binge drinking alcohol. He had experienced bilateral rib fractures two years previously. Computed tomography (CT) showed massive left pleural effusion and pleural fluid drained by thoracentesis had a bloody appearance. The patient developed septic shock but emergency surgery showed no active bleeding. Enhanced-CT showed herniated stomach with ischemic necrosis in the left thoracic cavity. Total gastrectomy and diaphragmatic repair were successful and the patient had an uneventful recovery. A high index of suspicion is necessary when evaluating haemothorax, especially in patients with recent or previous thoraco-abdominal injury.

Decreased Length of Stay After Laparoscopic Diaphragm Repair for Isolated Diaphragm Injury After Penetrating Trauma

Background Isolated diaphragm injury (IDI) occurs in up to 30% of penetrating left thoracoabdominal injuries. Laparoscopic abdominal procedures have demonstrated improved outcome including decreased postoperative pain and length of stay (LOS) compared to open surgery. However, there is a paucity of data on this topic for penetrating IDI. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and outcome of laparoscopic diaphragmatic repair versus open diaphragmatic repair (LDR vs ODR) of IDI. Methods The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (2010-2016) was queried for patients with IDI who underwent ODR versus LDR. A bivariate analysis using Pearson chi-square and Mann-Whitney test was performed to determine LOS among the two groups. Results From 2039 diaphragm injuries, 368 patients had IDI; 281 patients (76.4%) underwent ODR and 87 (23.6%) underwent LDR. Compared to LDR, the ODR patients were older (median, 31 vs 25 years, P < .001) and had a higher injury severity score (mean, 11.2 vs 9.6, P = .03) but had similar rates of intensive care unit LOS, unplanned return to the operating room, ventilator days, and complications ( P > .05). Patients undergoing ODR had a longer LOS (5 vs 4 days, P = .01), compared to LDR. There were no deaths in either group. Conclusions Trauma patients presenting with IDI undergoing ODR had a longer hospital LOS compared to patients undergoing LDR with no difference in complications or mortality. Therefore, we recommend when possible an LDR should be employed to decrease hospital LOS. Further research is needed to examine other benefits of laparoscopy such as postoperative pain, incisional hernia, and wound-related complications.