Laparoscopic repair of an extrahiatal hernia caused by congenital dysplasia: a case report.

A 40-year-old woman with complaints of relapse in the upper abdomen and dysphagia was referred for laparascopic hiatal hernia repair. Chest radiograph, barium-swallow, and upper endoscopy revealed a paraesophageal hernia. Esophageal manometry and 24-h-pH study showed no pathological findings. A laparoscopic gastropexy was planned. Intraoperatively, in contradiction to the preoperative findings, an extrahiatal hernia containing most of the stomach was found. After resection of the hernia sac, the beating heart without covering pericardium was seen. These findings were confirmed by an additional thoracoscopy at the end of the operation. The defect was closed by direct suturing. The postoperative course and 2-month follow-up were uneventful. The resected parts of the hernia sac showed an embryonic and dysgenetic etiology. This rare malformation has been reported in combination with complex syndromes, which appear with serious clinical and morphological signs in the neonatal period. In adults, the pericardial aplasia can be observed during diagnostic or surgical interventions. In these patients, complaints are usually not caused by the malformation but may be due to the occasional herniation of abdominal organs. We consider laparoscopic repair to be a gentle and safe procedure for the treatment of extrahiatal hernias.