Morgagni Hernia

Excerpt

Morgagni hernia was first identified in 1761 by Giovanni Battista Morgagni, the founder of pathological anatomy. Anatomically, the diaphragm is a thin, dome-shaped, musculotendinous structure that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities. Morgagni hernia is the rarest form of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), accounting for only 2% to 5% of cases. Diaphragmatic hernias include the Bochdalek, hiatal, and paraesophageal hernias. A Bochdalek hernia occurs due to a defect in the diaphragm's posterolateral region. A hiatal hernia has a defect at the esophageal hiatus; a paraesophageal hernia has a defect adjacent to the esophageal hiatus. A Morgagni hernia arises from an anterior, retrosternal diaphragmatic defect. The condition is rarer than the other CDH types. Morgagni hernias tend to be less symptomatic as pulmonary hypoplasia is uncommon, leading to a delayed diagnosis of these defects.