Patient's question:
A colleague of mine recently felt uncomfortable in their chest. After checking into the hospital, they found it was a diaphragmatic hernia. Since it was their first time experiencing this condition, they are quite concerned about their health and want to know whether diaphragmatic hernias require treatment.Doctor's answer:
Hiatal hernia is also known as congenital posterolateral diaphragmatic hernia. It is called Bochdalek hernia because the hernia hole corresponds to the Bochdalek foramen during the embryonic period. The clinical manifestations of congenital hiatal hernia include respiratory and digestive symptoms, but the main clinical manifestations are respiratory symptoms. After birth, blood oxygenation and gas exchange completely rely on the child's own lungs. Due to the compression of abdominal organs, the lungs atrophy and develop abnormally. At the same time, the mediastinum shifts to the healthy side, compressing the healthy lung, which can cause significant respiratory insufficiency. This condition must be treated with surgical intervention in a timely manner.