[Hiatal hernia incarceration during cardiopulmonary bypass in patient with acute aortic dissection--a case report]

A 67-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital under diagnosis of Stanford type A acute aortic dissection. Chest CT showed aortic dissection from the ascending to descending aorta, and large hiatal hernia. Operation was undergone under cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion. A graft replacement was carried out from the ascending to transverse arch aorta. After the release of the cross-clamping of aorta, the heart was gradually oppressed anteriorly by extrapericardial mass, so that the patient could not be weaned from the cardiopulmonary bypass. The mass was revealed incarcerated hiatal hernia by ultrasonography. After laparotomy, diaphragm and hiatus were incised, the incarceration was relieved and the diaphgragm was repaired with a Goretex sheet. Then the patient could be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. Her postoperative course was uneventful except for acute renal failure, and she was discharged 60 days after the operation. The incarceration of hiatal hernia was thought to be caused by tissue edema and small bleeding during cardiopulmonary bypass. This is the first reported case with the incarceration of hiatal hernia which occurred during cardiopulmonary bypass.