[Diaphragmatic eventration resulting from phrenicectomy treated with surgical method; report of a case]

The case was a 59-year-old man who has a history of left mediastinal tumor resection with left phrenicectomy. The elevated diaphragm revealed by chest X-ray 7 years after the operation led to diagnosis of diaphragmatic eventration. Since any symptom was seen in the early period, "wait and watch" strategy was done for management. Both the abdominal enlarged feeling and the dyspnea on effort were appeared 10 years after the operation. Under the speculation of these symptoms related to the elevated abdominal organs came up with diaphragmatic eventration, surgical method the plication of the diaphragm was performed. The diaphragm was plicated by interrupted suture as opening the diaphragm to avoid injury the abdominal organs, and reinforced with the Marlex mesh. We used artificial mesh to reinforce the thin diaphragm with exceptation of prevent the postoperative recurrence, because a result of the etiological process of the case was considered as disuse atrophy of diaphragm after phrenicectomy.