Abstract
In our hospital we have seen 20 cases of congenital diaphragmatic anomalies from June 1984 until December 1993. These were classified into 10 cases of diaphragmatic eventration, 8 cases of Bochdalek hernia, 1 case of Morgagni hernia, and 1 case of esophageal hiatal hernia. Diaphragmatic eventration cases were composed of 8 males and 2 females with ages varing from 3 hour to 42 year. They were discovered by symptoms: 5 cases of respiratory insufficiency; 3 cases of frequent respiratory infection; and 2 cases by chance; 6 cases involved the left side, 4 cases involved right side. Emergency operations were done to 4 patients. Among the 10 patients, only one operative mortality occurred; 3 hour old female.Bochdalek hernia cases composed 6 females and 2 males, 5 patients were less than 6 hour old. All patients were operated on an emergency status and three of them expired due to the vicious cycle of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vasoconstriction, persistent fetal circulation, hypoxia, and metabolic acidosis. Morgagni hernia was seen in one 69 year old female patient, she had no complaint of symptoms and was incidentally detected. Hernia was repaired through right thoracotomy. She was discharged with healthy appearence. Esophageal hiatal hernia was seen in a 10 month old male patient, his symptoms were persistent vomiting and coughing since birth. Sliding type of esophageal hiatal hernia repair was completed through left thoracotomy.