Korean J Med.  2014 Sep;87(3):343-346. 10.3904/kjm.2014.87.3.343.

A Case of Diaphragmatic Hernia Mimicking Acute Pleural Effusion

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea. Jaehwa.cho@inha.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Radiology, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
  • 3Department of Thoracic Surgery, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.

Abstract

Diaphragmatic hernia may be either congenital or acquired. Acquired cases may be secondary to trauma, infection, pregnancy, or surgery. In adults, diaphragmatic hernia causes chronic and variable symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, dyspepsia, and chronic dyspnea; in infants, however, it frequently causes acute respiratory failure. We report herein a case of diaphragmatic hernia in an adult patient who presented with left chest pain. Left pleural effusion was revealed on a plain chest radiograph. Computed tomography confirmed the presence of a diaphragmatic defect and a shift of the omentum to the thoracic cavity. The patient underwent omental resection and primary repair of the diaphragmatic muscle defect via exploratory thoracotomy.

Keyword

Diaphragmatic hernia; Pleural effusion; Chest pain; Computed tomography

MeSH Terms

Adult
Chest Pain
Dyspepsia
Dyspnea
Hernia, Diaphragmatic*
Humans
Infant
Omentum
Pleural Effusion*
Pregnancy
Radiography, Thoracic
Respiratory Insufficiency
Thoracic Cavity
Thoracotomy
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