An adult recurrent diaphragmatic hernia with a near complete defect: a rare scenario

A diaphragmatic hernia is usually seen in childhood and it is rare in adults. We are reporting a case of a 73 years old male who presented with pain and distension of the abdomen, breathlessness and constipation. He was operated 10 years back for a diaphragmatic hernia, during which a splenectomy, omentectomy and a mesh repair were done. X-rays and CT scans of the chest and the abdomen showed a recurrent diaphragmatic hernia on the left side. Laparotomy and left sided thoracotomy was done. The contents being the small bowel and the colon, they were reduced. The left hemi-diaphragm was completely absent, except for an anterior thin rim of tissue. A short ischaemic jejunal segment was resected. A dual mesh was used to reconstruct the left hemi-diaphragm in a contaminated field and it was fixed to the intact rim and to the other available tissues around the defect. The post-operative chest X-rays showed the mesh to be in place. The patient had an uneventful recovery. No signs of recurrence were found during 2 years of followup. Adult diaphragmatic hernias, once they are diagnosed, are managed surgically to prevent complications. Difficult scenarios may be encountered, for which the surgical strategy should be individualized and the immediate postoperative complications should be dealt appropriately.