Morgagni-hernias during infancy

Five cases of Morgagni hernia observed in Teheran Children's Hospital in 1973-1983 are reported. Four of the diagnosed cases were infants less than seven months of age and all presented respiratory symptoms: two of them accompanied by associated malformations. In four cases the hernia was present on the right side and in one on the left. The most common contents of the hernial sac were colon, small-bowel, liver, omentum and stomach. A transthoracic approach was advocated only in cases with solid content in the hernial sac or when differentiation from a solid mass was difficult. For the other cases the transabdominal approach was preferred. The operation chosen of treatment, gave satisfactory results in all the patients.