[Morgagni's hernia: diagnosis and therapy].

A 35-year-old man reported persistent exertional dyspnoea and pressure sensation over the left chest for the last six weeks. On auscultation there were diminished breath sounds over the right base. Chest X-ray demonstrated a 10 cm large ventral paracardiac shadow on the right. Computed tomography suggested a hernia of the foramen of Morgagni; persisting symptoms indicated a laparotomy. This revealed an opening of about 1.5 cm in the right substernocostal triangle through which the entire greater omentum had herniated into the thorax. The omentum was repositioned and the hernial defect closed by direct suture. The postoperative course was without complication and the patient was discharged after seven days.