Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in a Child With Abdominal Pain and Respiratory Distress

William Sanh1, Jacob C Langer, Savithiri Ratnapalan

  • 1From the *Department of Anesthesiology, Mc Master University; †Department of Surgery, and ‡Department of Paediatrics and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada.

Pediatric Emergency Care
|November 3, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia can present late in childhood with abdominal pain and breathing difficulties. This case highlights unusual symptoms and potential complications in older children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Medical Case Reports

Background:

  • Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a birth defect where the diaphragm doesn't close completely.
  • While typically diagnosed in newborns, late presentations in older children are less common but significant.

Observation:

  • A pediatric patient presented to the emergency department with acute abdominal pain and respiratory distress.
  • This presentation was atypical for the usual neonatal diagnosis of CDH.

Findings:

  • The case illustrates a late-onset congenital diaphragmatic hernia in a child.
  • Discussion includes typical and atypical clinical manifestations of CDH in older pediatric populations.

Implications:

  • Recognizing late CDH presentations is crucial for timely diagnosis and management in children.
  • Understanding rare presentations can improve pediatric emergency care and surgical outcomes for CDH.

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