Question
One of my colleagues recently felt some discomfort in his chest and went to the hospital for a check-up, where he was diagnosed with diaphragmatic hernia. Since it’s his first time being sick, he is quite worried about his health and wants to know if diaphragmatic hernia requires treatment?
Answer
Diaphragmatic hernia, also known as congenital posterior extraperitoneal diaphragmatic hernia, is named after the hernia hole that corresponds to the Bochdalek foramen during the embryonic period, hence also called Bochdalek hernia. The clinical manifestations of congenital diaphragmatic hernia include respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, but the primary clinical manifestation is respiratory symptoms. After birth, the oxygenation and gas exchange depend entirely on the child’s own lungs. Due to the compression of abdominal organs, atrophy and maldevelopment occur, and the mediastinum shifts to the healthy side, which also compresses the healthy lung, leading to significant hyperventilation. In this case, timely surgical treatment is necessary.