[Surgical treatment of diaphragmatic eventrations and paralyses]

Heart on the left, diaphragm on the right: A case of congenital diaphragmatic eventration

Congenital Diaphragmatic Eventration (DE) requires a prompt diagnosis to avert the potentially life-threatening complications. Herein, a 5-month-old male presented with recurrent respiratory infections due to a right-sided diaphragmatic eventration. Misdiagnosed from previous medical visits, timely surgical intervention by thoracoscopic plication of the diaphragm was crucial for our patient's survival.

Right Diaphragmatic Eventration with an Intrathoracic Kidney: Case Report and Review of the Literature

We aimed to review the publications on the diagnosis of diaphragmatic eventration and report on the clinical presentation and surgical treatment of a female patient aged 17 years. The present case, though quite infrequent, shows the presence of an ectopic thoracic kidney on the right side. The clinical features included dry cough, chest pain, respiratory distress, and bronchial spasms for 4 years; additionally, the patient had episodes of bronchial asthma since her childhood. The right hemithorax presented invasion of the thin loops, right colon, and kidney. The treatment approach was laparoscopic followed by thoracotomy using a dual mesh. The intrathoracic kidney remained in place. The outcome was satisfactory. Diaphragmatic eventration associated with thoracic renal ectopia is a very rare entity, considering the age, sex, and right location of the condition. It represents a clinical and diagnostic challenge; clinicians, radiologists, and surgeons must be alert with a high degree of suspicion in order to correlate symptoms and imaging findings and understand the etiopathogenesis. In addition, they should plan an adequate and individualized surgical repair making use, as far as possible, of the minimally invasive procedures that are currently used.

Early hemi-diaphragmatic plication through a video assisted mini-thoracotomy in postcardiotomy phrenic nerve paresis

New symptom onset of respiratory distress without other cause, and new hemi-diaphragmatic elevation on chest radiography postcardiotomy, are usually adequate for the diagnosis of phrenic nerve paresis. The symptom severity varies (asymptomatic state to severe respiratory failure) depending on the degree of the lesion (paresis vs. paralysis), the laterality (unilateral or bilateral), the age, and the co-morbidity (respiratory, cardiac disease, morbid obesity, etc). Surgical treatment (hemi-diaphragmatic plication) is indicated only in the presence of symptoms. The established surgical treatment is plication of the affected hemidiaphragm which is generally considered safe and effective. Several techniques and approaches are employed for diaphragmatic plication (thoracotomy, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, video-assisted mini-thoracotomy, laparoscopic surgery). The timing of surgery depends on the severity and the progression of symptoms. In infants and young children with postcardiotomy phrenic nerve paresis the clinical status is usually severe (failure to wean from mechanical ventilation), and early plication is indicated. Adults with postcardiotomy phrenic nerve paresis usually suffer from chronic dyspnoea, and, in the absence of respiratory distress, conservative treatment is recommended for 6 months -2 years, since improvement is often observed. Nevertheless, earlier surgical treatment may be indicated in non-resolving respiratory failure. We present early (25(th) day postcardiotomy) right hemi-diaphragm plication, through a video assisted mini-thoracotomy in a high risk patient with postcardiotomy phrenic nerve paresis and respiratory distress. Early surgery with minimal surgical trauma, short operative time, minimal blood loss and postoperative pain, led to fast rehabilitation and avoidance of prolonged hospitalization complications. The relevant literature is discussed.