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Congenital intrathoracic stomach

M Woodward1, D C Crabbe, E M Kiely

  • 1Department of Surgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, UK.

Pediatric Surgery International
|September 24, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Congenital intrathoracic stomach (CIS) is rare, often presenting with vomiting or respiratory issues. Surgical repair via an abdominal approach is effective for this condition, which is frequently caused by large hiatus hernias.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Thoracic Surgery

Background:

  • Congenital intrathoracic stomach (CIS) is a rare condition where the stomach is abnormally located within the chest cavity.
  • Differentiating CIS from congenital short esophagus and acquired esophageal shortening is crucial for appropriate management.
  • Large hiatus hernia is identified as a frequent cause of CIS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the clinical presentation and management strategies for congenital intrathoracic stomach.
  • To highlight key features distinguishing CIS from other esophageal conditions.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of surgical repair approaches for CIS.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of six patients diagnosed with CIS between 1988 and 1994.
  • Analysis of patient symptoms, diagnostic imaging (chest radiographs, barium meal), and surgical outcomes.
  • Focus on distinguishing features from congenital short esophagus and acquired esophageal shortening.

Main Results:

  • Patients presented with either vomiting (younger) or respiratory symptoms (older).
  • Chest radiographs were consistently abnormal, with barium meal confirming the diagnosis.
  • All six patients underwent successful repair via an abdominal approach, with adequate esophageal length achieved post-operatively.

Conclusions:

  • Congenital intrathoracic stomach is an uncommon condition requiring accurate diagnosis.
  • The transabdominal approach is the most satisfactory method for surgical repair of CIS.
  • Effective management involves differentiating CIS from other esophageal anomalies and utilizing appropriate surgical techniques.

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