A Rare Cause of Dyspnoea: Right-sided Bochdalek Hernia in an Adult

• Main Authors: David Rocha Paiva, Daniela Casanova, Helio Martins, Margarida Cerqueira, Mariana Formigo, Olinda Miranda, Jorge Cotter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SMC MEDIA SRL 2020-04-01
• Series: European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine
• Subjects: bochdalek hernia; dyspnoea
• Online Access: https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/1531

Right-sided Bochdalek hernia (BH) is very rarely diagnosed in adults. It commonly presents with gastrointestinal symptoms (pain, abdominal distension and vomiting). Breathlessness, recurrent chest infections and other pulmonary sequelae can also be present. We report the case of a 92-year-old man with a 3-day history of dyspnoea, fever and thoracic pain and multiple episodes of vomiting. An x-ray was performed, and the diagnosis of a large BH hernia was confirmed by computed tomography of the thorax. The condition may be fatal in cases where the small bowel undergoes necrosis or perforation. An emergent laparotomy was performed, but the patient did not improve clinically and died immediately after the procedure.