Reconstruction of recurrent diaphragmatic eventration with an elongated polytetrafluoroethylene sheet.

We report the case of a 31-year old woman with recurrence of left diaphragmatic eventration 3 years after a previous surgery for this condition. At the initial occurrence, she had experienced dyspnoea on exercise and subsequently underwent laparoscopic plication of the diaphragm with an endo-stapler at a local hospital. Immediately after the operation, the diaphragm was torn and the intestine entered the thorax. Therefore, plication involving sewing was performed. Then, 3 years later, the patient again experienced dyspnoea and was diagnosed as having recurrence of left diaphragmatic eventration. Observation under thoracoscopy revealed that the centre of the left diaphragm was thin but not torn. We reconstructed the left diaphragm with an elongated polytetrafluoroethylene sheet on the naïve diaphragm. The patient was discharged from our hospital 5 days after surgery. Her respiratory function improved and she has not experienced recurrence.