Laparoscopic Diaphragmatic Hemiplication in Children with Acquired Diaphragmatic Eventration After Congenital Heart...

To report our technique and experiences in the laparoscopic diaphragmatic hemiplication (LDHP) in children with acquired diaphragmatic eventration after congenital heart surgery.

Between October 2007 to December 2013, 3498 children with congenital heart disease underwent cardiac surgery in our hospital, and 40 (1.14%) of them had unilateral diaphragmatic elevation on postoperative chest X-ray (mean elevation, 2.5 ± 0.26 intercostal spaces [ICS]) and were diagnosed as having diaphragmatic eventration due to diaphragmatic hemiparesis as a result of phrenic nerve injury. These 40 patients were followed up, and 22 of them recovered after conservative treatment; the other 18 needed surgical intervention. We conducted a retrospective study relating to surgical indications, surgical technique, complications, and outcomes.

There were 24 boys and 16 girls with a mean age of 10.0 ± 4.5 months old (range, 2 months-4 years). Twenty-two patients did not require surgical intervention. Eighteen patients underwent LDHP (12 cases left-sided and 6 cases right-sided); 2 of them had emergency LDHP with a history of ventilator dependency after cardiac surgery, and 16 of them had planned LDHP with a history of recurrent pneumonia and dyspnea. The operative time was 60 ± 7.9 minutes (range, 45-105 minutes), with minimal blood loss (3 ± 1.5 mL [range, 1-9 mL]), no intra- or postoperative complications, and postoperative hospital stay of 7 ± 1.3 days (range, 5-10 days). The diaphragmatic drop was 2.4 ± 0.2 (range, 2-4 ICS) without recurrence, and the follow-up time for all 40 patients was 14.8 ± 1.6 months (range, 11-36 months).

Our study further shows that LDHP is feasible and effective in selected patients after congenital heart surgery. Our technique is convenient and provides excellent clinical and radiological results.